Factors that Affect Your Driving Ability How Emotions
Factors that Affect Your Driving Ability
How Emotions Affect Your Driving o Inattention – speeding or taking other risks without even knowing it o Lack of Concentration – feeling anxious or excited about something else o Ability to Process Information – decreases ability to use good judgment and manage risk
How to Control Your Emotions o Maintain a Responsible Attitude – show respect for order and safety and take responsibility for your actions o Identify Troublesome Situations – identify situations that may upset or annoy you, and deal with them in a responsible way
How to Control Your Emotions continued…. o Avoid Triggering Aggressive Driving - Keep a safe distance from vehicles ahead - Apologize with an appropriate gesture - Always signal when changing lanes - Keep your cool
How to Control Your Emotions continued…. o Plan Ahead – always allow enough time to get where you are going or try to find an alternate route o Expect Mistakes from Others – never assume that other drivers will drive safely or obey all the rules o Don’t Drive When Upset or Depressed – wait until your feelings subside
How to Control Your Emotions continued…. o Don’t Give in to Negative Peer Pressure – don’t let the influence of friends cause you to take unnecessary risks o Train Yourself Always to Use Correct Procedures – make sure safe driving procedures are automatic, no matter what your emotional state may be
Fatigue o Senses are impaired o You may not see objects clearly o You may miss critical information (signs, lights, sounds) o You may misjudge your speed o You may take needless risks o “Highway Hypnosis” o Fall asleep at the wheel
How Vision Affects Your Ability to Drive o Visual Acuity – clear vision o Field of Vision § Central Vision – the narrow cone-shaped area directly in front of you § Peripheral Vision – angles to your right and left § Vertical Field of Vision – up and down o Depth Perception – gives a 3 -dimensional perspective to objects (distance judgment)
How Vision Affects Your Ability to Drive o Contrast Sensitivity – allows you to see details in the driving environment o Color Blindness – unable to tell the difference between red and green or blue and yellow § The most commonly used colors in traffic are red, green, and yellow. o Night Blindness – when seeing at night is a major problem § If you look at the headlights of an oncoming car, your eyes may take a moment to readjust to the darkness; at which time you may be temporarily blinded.
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