Chapter 3
Vision
Age
Coordination
Hearing
Size and Height
Chronic Illness & disability
Fatigue & Lack of sleep
Illness
Injury
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Many of your decisions made while driving are based on what you SEE.
Visual Acuity
o Ability to see objects both near and far.
• 20/20 vision is normal
Field of Vision
o Area you can see directly in front of you, to both sides, and straight
ahead
Field of Vision
o Central Vision
• The area in front of you where everything is clear
• Only about 3 degrees wide
o Peripheral Vision
• Unfocused areas to the sides of your central vision
• 180 degrees
• Peripheral vision is reduced 25% at 30mph and almost 90% at 60mph
Depth Perception
o Ability to judge the distance between two objects
• i.e., following distance, stopping, ?
Color Vision
o Ability to see color
• i.e., signs & signals
• Color blindness
• Inability to differentiate between certain colors
• Can still drive, but uses other visual cues
Pros
• More
experienced
• Better at
detecting
potential
hazards
Cons
• Decreased
reaction time
• Poor eyesight
• Poor hearing
Older
drivers may
reduce their speed and
try to avoid situations
that require quicker
reflexes
Determined by how quickly and efficiently you muscular and
nervous systems can work together.
o Hand & Foot Coordination
• i.e., steering, braking, accelerating, shifting gears
Some people are naturally more coordinated than others,
but with practice can develop good driving skills.
o Increase space cushioning and following distance
Hearing can tell us lots of things while driving
o Your ears detect sounds of potential hazards
•
•
•
•
Horns
Sirens
Vehicles you cannot see
Pedestrians
o Other instances
Information obtained from hearing can be crucial in split
second decisions
May limit a driver’s ability to comfortably or safely operate a
motor vehicle.
o Too short
o Too tall
o Obese
Make adjustments inside the car
o Mirrors
o Seat
o Steering wheel
o Pedals?
Thanks to technology, many can drive
Chronic Illness
o Can control their conditions with medicine
o However, they shouldn’t drive while taking certain medications that
affect their ability to drive
Disabilities
o Adapted vehicles to make accommodations
o Given a license on a case-by-case basis
Can affect your reaction time and decision-making abilities
Fatigue
mostly on long trips, but can be caused by a number of factors,
such as boredom, eyestrain, poor ventilation, eating or drinking too
much
o Sets in slowly
o Symptoms
o
• Physical
• Drowsiness, blurred vision, double vision, slowed reactions, lack of
coordination, and problems judging distance and speed
• Emotional
• Irritability
• inattentiveness
What can you do?
o Pull over
o Rest areas
o Eat lightly
Avoid driving at all costs
o Illness makes you drowsy and/or inattentive
o Injury can affect your ability to drive or affect reaction time
Causes
o Damaged exhaust
o Driving in an area with insufficient ventilation
o Starting vehicles in a garage with the door closed
o Smoking with the windows closed
Symptoms
o Headache, nausea, drowsiness, confusion, and/or loss of strength
End result
o Unconsciousness
o Death
Anger
Stress
Anxiety, Excitement, & Depression
Distractions
One of the most powerful emotions
Aggressive mindset leads to aggressive driving
Road Rage-action specifically targeted to another driver
o Tailgating, yelling at other drivers, obscene gestures, blocking paths,
assault
Causes of road rage
o Hot temperatures
o Over-crowded roadways
o Set off by minor event that acts as the last straw
• Person already under stress
Busy schedule
Not enough sleep
Personal problems at work, home, or school
o Stress causes adrenaline rushes, muscle tension, increased
breathing and heart rates, sweaty palms, headaches, and extreme
fatigue.
Plan ahead to reduce stress
o Allow extra time during rush hour or bad weather
o Map your route before leaving
o Call ahead if you are late
Major source of anxiety is driving in unfamiliar surroundings
o Panic sets in and it is easy to miss or overlook critical information
Being too excited can decrease your attention and increase
your willingness to take risks.
Depression can affect your concentration and coordination
Best thing to do is have someone else drive for you
Car stereos
Cell Phones
Passengers and Kids
Smoking
Pets
Rubbernecking
Unit 1 Test on Friday
Chapter 1, 3,
Graduated Licensing
& IPDE Process
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