Developing Visual and Mental Awareness Skills
SOUTHEAST REGION…
ADTSEA SPRING CONFERENCE
MYRTLE BEACH, 2006
Terry L. Kline, Ed. D.
Traffic Safety Institute
Eastern Kentucky University
Download this presentation from ADTSEA website… http://www.adtsea.org
T-1.0
SUPERBOWL
SHUFFLE
T-1.1
Vision and Mental Awareness
 Seeing/Searching Techniques
 Mental Awareness and Perception
 In-car Habits
T-1.2
Driving is Unique Mental Task
Consider this… Driving is one of a very few tasks that
the person can not see where they are located…
If a driver tries to figure out where they are on the
roadway… they will be someplace different by the
time they can make a speed or position adjustment.
Therefore, a driver can not drive in the present, so
he/she needs to use information from the future or
past to operate the vehicle.
The novice driver needs to develop a unique set of visual and
mental awareness skills in order to make reduced-risk driving
decisions develop into safe performance habits.
T-1.3
Driving is Unique Mental Task
Stored knowledge provides a picture in
your mind of what is likely to happen
before it actually happens
The sooner a traffic element is identified,
the more time the mind has to come up
w/ an accurate picture of what to expect.
More stored knowledge = faster and more
accurate predictions http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=FcRgkrdWt3o&feature=rela
T-1.4
ted
Brain Gains Information from:
Focus Vision (Focal)
Ability to focus on letters, numbers,
etc.
Independent of field of view
Focus Vision
Central Vision
Central Vision (UFOV)
Relates vehicle position to
travel path
Dependent on field of view
Peripheral Vision
Peripheral Vision
Motion and Color Changes
Dependent on field of view
T-1.5
Visual Skill Development
Where to Look
How to Look
What to Look for
T-1.6
Mental and Perceptual Awareness
 Input-Process-Output
 (S)IPDE Process
 Space Judgement
 Based on past experience
and knowledge base
T-1.7
IPDE PROCESS
 Will help you reduce risk by making
wise decisions and executing safe
driving actions
 I – Identify: smith system, line of sight, path of
travel, target area, 12-15 range, 4-6 second range.
 P – Predict: HOW? WHAT?
 D – Decide: change speeds, dir., communicate,
minimize/separate a hazard, compromise space
 E – Execute: control speed, steer, communicate, etc.
T-1.8
Target area
range
12-15 sec
range
4-6 sec.
range
T-1.9
Smith System (identify)
develop good seeing habits

1. AIM
HIGH in steering
 12-15 sec into target
 What are some restrictions that close zones?

2. Keep eyes MOVING
 Near/far, side/side, mirrors
 SCANNING



3. Get the BIG picture
4. Make sure others see you
5. Leave yourself an “OUT”
T-1.10
ZONE CONTROL SYSTEM
1. See a zone change
2. Check other zones
3. Create time and space by getting the
best speed control, lane pos. and
communication
T-1.11
LEFT
FRONT
ZONE
FRONT
ZONE
RIGHT
FRONT
ZONE
Right rear
zone
LEFT
REAR
ZONE
REAR
ZONE
T-1.12
Perception
 Being Perceptive is a Learned Process
 Perceiving Problems Takes Time
 Managing Visual Inputs Is Critical
 Managing Time and Space is Primary
Decision Tool
T-1.13
Language Example
Saville, Der Dago
Tousin busis inaro
Nocho, Demis troux
Summit cowsin
Summit doux
T-1.14
Language Example
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh
Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht
oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the
olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and
lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The
rset can be a toatl mses and you can
sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is
bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by
it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.
Deciatsr
Disaster
Disaster
T-1.15
Language of Driving
2
1
10
9
4
5
6
3
7
11
8
T-1.16
Language of Driving
NO
PASSING
ZONE
ONE WAY
YIELD
STOP
T-1.17
Read This!
Buckle
Up For
For Safety
T-1.18
Read This!
 What did it say?
 Did you see...
Buckle Up For For Safety
 Why?
T-1.19
Focal Vision at Work
Visual Memory Imprint
DOTS FOLLOW YOUR FOCAL VISION.. TRY STARING
AT CENTER BOX ONLY to stop movement
T-1.20
Useful Field of View
T-1.21
Mental Awareness
T-1.22
Your Brain Sees?
INTERSTATE
.
95
Your Brain Sees?
.
Mental
Awareness
If I refer to former President
Clinton… What does your
mental awareness tell you about
this photograph ?
T-1.25
What Did You See?
Do you
see a
Horse
and
Rider ?
T-1.26
Visual Imagery Fools Brain Perception
COUNT THE LEGS
T-1.27
Visual Imagery
Fools
Brain Perception
What Do You See? …
• The Old Woman or..
• The Young Girl
T-1.28
Visual Imagery Fools Brain Perception
1
2
3
T-1.29
Vision and Mental Awareness
Central Space Area
 True Blind Spot
 Sightline Limitations
T-1.30
Vision and Mental Awareness
Rear and Side View Mirrors
 Mirror Blind Spot
 Sightline Limitations
T-1.31
Blindzone-Glare Elimination (BGE)
Mirror Method
Move Side View Mirrors
 Move Side Mirrors 15 degrees to outside
 Head against left side window
 Head in center of car
T-1.32
BGE Mirror Settings
T-1.33
Developing Visual and Mental Awareness Skills
SOUTHEAST REGION…
ADTSEA SPRING CONFERENCE
MYRTLE BEACH, 2006
Terry L. Kline, Ed. D.
Traffic Safety Institute
Eastern Kentucky University
Download this presentation from ADTSEA website… http://www.adtsea.org
T-1.34