Section 2(Day 5)

Virginia Driver Responsibilities: Virginia Driver Responsibilities:

Preparing to Operate a VehiclePreparing to Operate a Vehicle

Bell Ringer

1. Write a half a page red to red on one of the below statements. Save these to be turn in on test day. Worth 10 points.

2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person should never make an important decision alone. Support your opinion by using specific reasons and details.

Reminder

1.1. Bring paper/pen/pencil and notebookBring paper/pen/pencil and notebook

2.2. Electronics are for instructional use with permission Electronics are for instructional use with permission

3.3. Attendance is MANDATORY!! (NO SLEEPING in class)Attendance is MANDATORY!! (NO SLEEPING in class)

4.4. All notes can be found on Harrisonburg’s staff website:All notes can be found on Harrisonburg’s staff website:

http://staff.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/~tbutler/http://staff.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/~tbutler/

This is what you are trying to get at the end of class..This is what you are trying to get at the end of class..

……no certificate, no license!!no certificate, no license!!

Day 5 Objectives • The students will define and understand risk assessment.The students will define and understand risk assessment.• The students will understand different moderate risk The students will understand different moderate risk

driving environments.driving environments.• The students will understand risk reduction principles to The students will understand risk reduction principles to

establish vehicle speed.establish vehicle speed.• The students will understand the The students will understand the three guidelines of risk

taking.

Related SOL: DE.2, DE.3, DE.4, DE.7, DE.15, and DE.18Related SOL: DE.2, DE.3, DE.4, DE.7, DE.15, and DE.18, , DE.3, DE.4, DE.5, DE.6, and DE.7DE.3, DE.4, DE.5, DE.6, and DE.7

Risk Assessment

What is Risk?What is Risk? Risk is the Chance of Injury,damage,

or Loss “Chance” is the Likelihood of a Crash

“of Injury, Damage, or Loss” are the Consequences of a Crash

Every driver accepts a Every driver accepts a certain level of risk when certain level of risk when driving a vehicle.driving a vehicle.

Elements of RiskElements of Risk

Elements of Risk are:

Risk Assessment

Risk Acceptance

Risk Compensation

Risk AcceptanceRisk Acceptance

Risk AcceptanceRisk Acceptance::

There is always a certain amount of risk There is always a certain amount of risk

involved in the driving task.involved in the driving task.

How much risk is acceptable?How much risk is acceptable?

– Evaluate Consequences of Taking Risks Evaluate Consequences of Taking Risks

((Penalty, Damage, Injury or Death)Penalty, Damage, Injury or Death)

Knowledge can help you reduce risk!Knowledge can help you reduce risk! To minimize risk, drivers need time, space & visibility to

execute a maneuver.

Risk AssessmentRisk Assessment• Recognizing increased risk situationsRecognizing increased risk situations

-Speeding -Following Too Closely-Speeding -Following Too Closely

-Failure to Yield -Improper Turns-Failure to Yield -Improper Turns

-DUI -Lack of Safety belt use-DUI -Lack of Safety belt use

• Understanding the consequences of increased Understanding the consequences of increased risk situationsrisk situations

• Considering your options and the consequences Considering your options and the consequences of your choicesof your choices

Risk CompensationRisk Compensation

- Recognizing potential risk or limitations and - Recognizing potential risk or limitations and making appropriate adjustmentsmaking appropriate adjustments

• Adjust Speed to Reduce Risk

• Adjust Lane Position to Reduce Risk

• Use Appropriate Communication to Reduce Risk

Reducing Driving Risk• Good decision-making is essential to reducing

driving risks.

• A driver in city traffic makes 50-60 decisions per mile.

• Your hands and feet can only do what your brain tells them to do.

• Developing good procedures for decision making:

• Observation skills

• Experiences

• Developing good habits

Reducing Driving Risk

• Work towards developing the best risk-reducing procedures and safe-driving habits.

• Habits are difficult to change.

• A space management system helps you to develop good driving habits.

Reducing Driving Risk

• Guided practice is key to developing sound habits and judgments

• Get extensive practice on all basic driving procedures

• Use a space management and targeting system

• Good habits and judgment

often deteriorate over time

• Complacency

• Most novice drivers rate

themselves as “good” drivers

• There may be no negative results from negative

behavior

Risk Reduction Goals• Make every driving sequence an Make every driving sequence an

efficient driving sequence.efficient driving sequence.

• Use processing skills to make Use processing skills to make accurate judgments.accurate judgments.

• Develop sound procedures for all Develop sound procedures for all maneuvers.maneuvers.

Top 3 Causes of Crashes in VA.

1. Speeding: Includes driving above posted speed limits and driving too fast for the conditions.

2. Failure to Yield ROW

3. Driving While Intoxicated• Driving abilities decrease when blood

alcohol level increases

Distracted Driving

Distractions while driving can be deadly. At 55mph, taking your eyes off the

road for 3-4 seconds, the car has traveled a length of a football field (300 feet).

What are some examples of distracted driving?

Lack of Safety Belt Use

This is not an immediate cause of a crash, but…

Failure to wear a seat belt often makes the consequences of the crash worse.

Three Guidelines of Risk Taking

1. Never Risk more than you can afford to lose

• A young driver breaks a specific traffic law resulting in the loss of their license.

X

Three Guidelines of Risk Taking

2. Do Not Risk a Large Consequence for a Small Reward

• Ignoring a railroad crossing to save a few seconds or even minutes of time.

Three Guidelines of Risk Taking

3. Consider the Odds and Your Situation• Things you can control vs. things you cannot

Good Driving HabitsGood Driving Habits

Habit LevelHabit Level

Judgment LevelJudgment Level

• Practice safe driving procedures that require little thought

• Have a well thought out strategy for managing time and space• Become efficient and precise• Respond correctly with the least amount of time

Process LevelProcess Level• Search for problems• Evaluate options• Execute decisions• Modify speed and/or position• Communicate to reduce the risk of collision

Levels of PerformanceLevels of Performance

Awareness LevelAwareness Level Performance LevelPerformance Level

HabitHabit

JudgmentJudgment

AcceptableAcceptable

AcceptableAcceptable

HabitHabit

JudgmentJudgment

UnacceptableUnacceptable

UnacceptableUnacceptable

DriverDriver DriverDriver

The Top Ten ErrorsThe Top Ten Errors

1.1. 23.9%23.9% not attending to the path of travelnot attending to the path of travel

(distractions – cell phone, sound system, (distractions – cell phone, sound system, passengers, etc.)passengers, etc.)

2.2. 13.7%13.7% driving five or more mph too fast for driving five or more mph too fast for conditionsconditions

3.3. 6.6%6.6% driving too fast through a curvedriving too fast through a curve

4.4. 6.3%6.3% inadequate search at an intersection and inadequate search at an intersection and moving in front of cross trafficmoving in front of cross traffic

5.5. 6.1%6.1% lack of attention at an intersection and lack of attention at an intersection and being struck by another driverbeing struck by another driver

that resulted in crashes involving that resulted in crashes involving teen drivers are:teen drivers are:

DO NOT WRITE THIS SLIDE

The Top Ten ErrorsThe Top Ten Errors

DO NOT WRITE THIS SLIDE

that resulted in crashes involving that resulted in crashes involving teen drivers are:teen drivers are:

6. 6.5% improper evasive action—quick turn not executed properly or braking instead of steering

7. 3.9% failed to maintain visual lead

8. 3.9% failed to see action developing at side of the roadway

9. 3.9% following too closely

10. 3.3% willfully taking right-of-way

THE END!