The driving task is a seeing, thinking, and responding process.

Smith System

IPDE Process

* Aim high in steering* Keep your eyes moving* Get the big picture* Make sure other see you* Leave yourself an “out”

Look down the road, not over the hood.

Look at least 12 seconds into your target area.

By moving your eyes, you will not stare.

Use a scanning process

Look near, far, side to side, mirrors, and at your speed.

Putting together all the critical clues you have selected.

It is the result of keeping your eyes moving and aim high in steering.

Communicate with other drivers.

Use: horn, hand signals, lights,eye contact, etc…

Space cushion-the area around your car used to avoid a hazard.

YOU

4 zones around your car.

Front-3 seconds

Rear-3 seconds

Left-open

Right-open

Identify

Predict

Execute

Decide

•Identify a hazard.

•A hazard is anything that makes you change your speed or direction.

Hazards fall into4 critical areas

S

H

O

P

-Signs, signals, and lane markings

-Highway conditions

-Other traffic

-Pets and pedestrians

•The area you can see while looking straight ahead.

(180 degrees)

Field of vision

Central vision-center vision

Peripheral vision-side vision

Central vs. Peripheral Vision

Orderly visual search pattern

A process of searching critical areas in a regular sequence.

Scanning

Glancing continually and quickly with brief eye fixations through your orderly visual search pattern.

Seeing what is important to the driving task.

Selective seeing

The distance you can see before your vision is blocked.

Sight distance

Depth perception

The ability to judge distancebetween two objects

•Always predict the worst

•Never assume

•Decide the best course of action to avoid a hazard.

•4 actions you may use to avoidhazards.

Speed up Slow down/stopSteer leftSteer right*combination

•Execute your decision to avoid the hazard.

Visibility

Traffic flow

Traction

Space

Separate hazards

Compromise hazards

Minimize hazards

SeparateWhen you have two or more hazards at least one is moving. This technique allows you to handle one hazard at a time. 2+ hazards, 1 moving. Handle 1 at a time

Separate

CompromiseWhen you have two or more hazards,none of which are moving,you give equal space to equal hazards and greaterspace to the greater hazard. 2+hazards, 0 moving, = space to = hazards, more space To greater hazard.

Compromise

Minimize

When you have only one hazard, youput as much space between you and that hazard as you can. 1 hazard, put as Much space between you and hazard

Minimize