CH. 14 – EFFECTS OF DRIVER CONDITION

• Emotions and Driving – Emotions influence the way you think and act.

• Strong emotions interfere with your ability to think, reason, and make wise decisions.

• Strong emotions reduces mental alertness and prevents you from fully concentrating on driving.

• Anger, sorrow, depression, anxiety, excitement, happiness

• Anger occurs more often to drivers than any other emotion.

DON’T BE THIS GUY!

OR THESE GUYS!!

PASSENGERS AND EMOTION

• When you are driving, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for your passengers regardless of the situation.

• Maturity leads you to understand the consequences of poor driving decisions

WAYS TO HELP A DRIVER WHEN YOU ARE A PASSENGER

• Don’t say or do anything that might upset the driver.

• Discourage the driver from taking reckless actions. Do what you must to protect yourself and others.

• Compliment the driver and help the driver in difficult situations.

COPING WITH EMOTIONS WHILE DRIVING

1. Learn to use the IPDE process. The way you drive is a habit. Good habits are as easy to develop as bad habits.

2. Anticipate emotion producing situations and adjust to them.

3. Do not challenge an aggressive driver. Avoid eye contact and ignore gestures. Take down their license plate number and call police if need be.

4. Realize when you are under strong emotion and take precaution.

5. Adjust your route to avoid irritating traffic situations.

6. Be a courteous driver at all times and help other drivers when they need it. You expect it when you need it.

VISION

• Visual Acuity – The ability to see things clearly.

• 20/20 vision is normal

• Most states require a minimum visual acuity of 20/40 to drive. This person must be twice as close to an object to see it clearly compared to 20/20.

COLOR BLINDNESS

• Not being able to distinguish between colors.• WAYS TO COMPENSATE

1. Remember the order of the lights on the traffic lights.

2. Know the shapes of signs.

3. Read all signs on the lights.

4. Check all traffic before proceeding at traffic lights.

5. Take cues from other drivers.

• Field of vision – The area you can see around you while looking straight ahead.

• Central vision – A 10 degree cone shaped area of clear vision used when the eyes focus on something.

• Peripheral vision – The side vision area to the left and right of central vision.

• Tunnel vision – A narrow field of peripheral vision that is 140 degrees or less. Compensate with more head and eye movement.

• Night vision – Ability to see at night. This varies among people.

• Night blindness – Not being able to see well at night.

WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR NIGHT VISION

1. Travel at slower speeds.

2. Increase your following distance.

3. Drive at night only if eyes are well rested.

4. Keep windshield and headlights clean.

5. Keep the interior lights off.

DEPTH PERCEPTION

• The ability to judge distance between you and other objects.

WAYS TO COMPENSATE

1. Increase your following distance.

2. Allow for more distance before passing.

3. Use known distances such as city blocks or the space between utility poles to judge distances.4. Allow greater distances at night than in the daytime.

GLARE

• During the daytime, it occurs when bright sunlight is reflected off shiny surfaces.

• During the nighttime, it occurs when bright lights reflect off shiny surfaces.

• Glare resistance – The ability to continue seeing when looking at bright lights. This varies among people.

• Glare recovery time – The time it takes for your eyes to regain clear vision. It takes 5 – 10 for your pupils to readjust.

WAYS TO AVOID OR RECOVER FROM GLARE

• Avoid looking directly at bright lights. Use the right edge of road as a guide.

• Anticipate glare situations and glance away.

• Use side vision rather than central vision to check your lane position.

• When impaired by glare, slow until your vision clears.

• Wear sunglasses and use sun visor in bright sunlight.

• Adjust your rearview mirror for night use.

VEHICLE SPEED AND VISION

• SPEED SMEAR – When objects off to your sides become blurred as your speed increases.

• The faster you drive, the more your field of vision is narrowed. It has an effect like tunnel vision.

HEARING, SMELLING, and FEELING

• Sometimes you need to depend on your senses to identify threats to your path of travel.

Hearing alerts you to:1. Honking horns, train whistles, sirens, engines and brakes of trucks and buses.

Mechanical problems from your vehicle.2. Deaf drivers must see what they can’t

hear.3. They compensate by using their eyes more.

Smelling Alerts

1. Overheated engine or brakes.

2. Exhaust fumes.

3. Something burning.

Feeling Alerts

• Your vehicle veering right or left.

• Changing speed.

• A change in the roadway surface.

• Mechanical problems – vibrations, flat tire.

TEMPORARY PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

FATIGUECauses:

1. Mental or physical work.

2. Emotional stress.

3. Loss of sleep.

Effects:

1. Dulls senses and slows mental and physical processes.

2. You will need more time to use the I.P.D.E. Process.

3. Causes drowsiness.

DANGER SIGNS OF DROWSINESS

1. Trouble keeping your head up.

2. Drifting between lane positions.

3. Wandering disconnected thoughts.

4. Can’t stop yawning.

5. Eyes closing or going out of focus.

6. Can’t concentrate on driving.

COMPENSATIONS FOR FATIGUE

1. Rest – The only safe remedy

2. Change drivers

3. Stop regularly

4. Wear shades for glare

5. Keep your eyes moving

6. Open window for fresh air

7. Be active – Listen to the radio, sing,

talk with your passengers.

EFFECTS OF MEDICINES

• Many medicines have side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, or reduced alertness that can alter your driving ability.

• Read the label to learn of possible side effects. Ask a Pharmacist or your Physician if you’re not sure.

CARBON MONOXIDE

• A deadly, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas which is present in all engine exhaust fumes.

• Move a person who is overcome by carbon monoxide into fresh air.

SMALL AMOUNTS CAN CAUSE: 1. Drowsiness.

2. Headaches.

3. Muscular weakness.

4. Mental dullness.

5. Nausea.

Large amounts can cause DEATH!

ACTIONS TO PREVENT CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE

1. Don’t start or run the engine in a garage.

2. Keep at least a 3 sec. following distance in stop and go traffic.

3. If stuck in mud or snow, make sure your exhaust pipe is not buried.

4. Check your exhaust system regularly.

Smoking also raises the carbon monoxide level in a person’s blood.

PHYSICAL DISABILITIES WHICH DISQUALIFY PEOPLE AS DRIVERS1. Total blindness

2. Mental illness

3. Loss of muscular control

4. Total paralysis – both arms & legs

5. Severe heart disease

6. Any disease that could cause a sudden loss of consciousness. People with epilepsy can drive if they have a physicians statement.

Individuals can still receive a driver’s license, but they must provide medical proof that their chronic disease is under control.

CH.15 – ALCOHOL, OTHER DRUGS, and DRIVING

• Alcohol is the most commonly used drug in our society.

• Most frequently found drug in fatally injured drivers.

• All states enforce a minimum drinking age of 21.

• Alcohol is classified as a drug because of its effects on the central nervous system.

FACTS ON ALCOHOL

1. Major factor in 38% of all traffic deaths. Half of those killed had not been drinking.

2. Young drinking drivers are involved in fatal crashes at twice the rate of drivers aged 21 and older.

3. Drivers aged 16-20 are more likely to be alcohol impaired than any other age.

4. Most teenage drinking is done in cars, while most adult drinking is done in the home or at social occasions.

5. More than half of all fatalities during holidays are alcohol related.

6. Between 10 pm. and 3 am. On Friday and Saturday nights, at least 1 out of 10 drivers are drunk.

7. In one vehicle fatal accidents, 2/3 of the drivers are drunk.

MYTHS ABOUT ALCOHOL

1. Stimulant.2. Has nutrients.3. Increases mental and physical activity.4. Alcohol affects everyone the same.5. Several ways to sober up.6. I will not be affected because I am only

drinking beer.7. I drive better after a few drinks.8. A young person cannot become a problem

drinker.

MENTAL ABILITIES and ALCOHOL

• Alcohol is absorbed directly and quickly into the bloodstream through the walls of the digestive tract, then it flows quickly to the brain.

• Mental abilities are affected first. Then physical abilities become impaired.

3 AREAS OF THE BRAIN THAT ARE AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL

1. First Area - controls judgment and reason.

2. Second Area - controls reaction time and coordination.

3. Third Area - controls seeing and speech.

These happen in this order.

• Alcohol is more likely to affect the actions of a beginning driver than the actions of a more experienced driver.

BAC – BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION

• Tells the % of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream.

• Each drink adds about 0.02 to 0.03% to a person’s BAC.

AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL IN STANDARD DRINKS

• 12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine, and 1 ½ oz. of whiskey (80 proof) contains approximately the same amount of alcohol.

• Proof describes the strength of liquor. Divide the proof number by 2 to determine the percentage of alcohol.

BAC DEPENDS ON 3 FACTORS

1. Amount of alcohol consumed.

2. Period of time during which the alcohol was consumed.

3. The person’s body weight.

• A person’s system oxidizes alcohol at approximately ¾ of a standard drink in one hour.

• Only time can reduce the body’s BAC and that person’s degree of impairment.

• A person’s liver is what eliminates alcohol from the body. The liver gets rid of 90-95% of the alcohol.

• Cirrhosis – A liver disease caused from long term alcohol abuse.

FACTORS THAT DETERMINE THE DEGREE OF IMPAIRMENT CAUSED BY ALCOHOL

1. The number of drinks a person consumes, and the amount of alcohol in each drink.

2. Amount of time over which a given amount was consumed.

3. Amount and type of food in the stomach at the time of drinking.

4. A person’s body weight.5. A person’s physical & emotional state.6. A person’s age and drinking experience.

WAYS TO SLOW DOWN ALCOHOL ABSORPTION INTO THE BODY

1. Eat food before and while drinking.

2. Space your drinks apart.

When alcohol is mixed with carbonated beverages, the rate of absorption is faster.

4 WAYS OTHER DRUGS CAN AFFECT A PERSON

1. Depressants – Slows down the central nervous system. Gets you too relaxed.

2. Stimulants – Speeds up the central nervous system. When first taken, you get a feeling of high energy and alertness. This soon wears off, and a person gets tired very quickly.

• 3. Hallucinogens – Alters thinking and personality as well as distorts a person’s sense of direction, distance, and time.

• 4. Marijuana – Impairs judgment, memory, depth perception, and coordination.

OTC DRUGS

• Many of these medicines can cause drowsiness, dizziness, slowed reaction time, and poor judgment.

• Read the label before driving.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

• Most of these are stronger than OTC drugs.

• These come with an explanation of possible side effects.

IMPLIED CONSENT LAW

• When a person receives a drivers license, they automatically give consent to be tested for BAC if arrested on suspicion of DUI.

• All states have this.

• If you refuse to be tested, your license will be automatically suspended for 6 months even if the driver is not convicted of a DUI.

• BAC of .08 – Legally drunk in Illinois.

ZERO TOLERANCE LAW

• It is illegal for persons under the age of 21 to drive with any amount of alcohol in their blood.

LEGAL WAYS TO DETERMINE BAC

1. Breath Test – Most common for alcohol.

2. Blood Test

3. Urine Test

FIELD SOBRIETY TEST

• A series of on the spot, roadside tests which helps an officer detect driver impairment.

IF YOU ARE PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE

1. Pull over to the right and stop in a safe place.

2. Keep your hands visible as the officer approaches.3. Stay in your vehicle and follow the

instructions the officer gives you.

4. You will be required to show your drivers license and proof of insurance.

Texting While Driving

• Good Morning America – Texting Caught on Tape