Whither Driver Education and Training?

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1 Whither Driver Educatin and Training? Smith, G..the nly methd f refrming human nature and f btaining a higher standard f mrality is by educating the mind f the individual and imprving the scial cnditins under which he lives. It is slw but it is sure. Winstn Churchill It was uplifting t receive the February 2009 cpy f the A.C.R.S. jurnal and t find it almst entirely dedicated t driver educatin and training with cntributins frm bth practitiners and researchers. I am a practitiner f sme 25 years experience wrking with a varied clientele ranging frm pre-license teenagers t cunter terrrist diplmatic drivers and up t 250 tn mining equipment peratrs. I have als prvided staff training and cnsultancy services in several verseas cuntries. This presentatin will fcus n: Pre-license educatin. Learn-t-drive. Prvisinal license learning activities. The learn t drive industry, by its nature, must fcus primarily n the student passing the driver s test. With the best will in the wrld, safety presentatins have been frced t take secnd place t this primary requirement. In Queensland, the recently intrduced graduated licence system appears t have impacted n the use f prfessinal learn t drive schls. With the perceived advantage f being awarded three lgbk hurs fr ne hur f prfessinal tuitin by a licensed, accredited trainer, many thught that the learn-t-drive industry wuld becme mre lucrative. As a result mre peple entered the industry. This perceptin des nt appear t have been fulfilled. A number f Queensland Transprt testing fficers have tld me that the trend is tward using the learn-t-drive peratrs t tp up n the requirements fr the driving test and/r t advise when the student is test ready. The requirement f 100 hurs f supervised learning experience has resulted in parents and friends verseeing mst f the learning prcess. This has the advantage f presenting t parents the pprtunity t discuss matters f scial imprtance such as peer pressure, drink driving, rad rage, anger management etc, within an experiential learning envirnment. Hwever, after 25 years f wrking with and critically bserving the general Graham Smith Page 1 f 7

2 driving public, frm the pint f view f technical driver input and traffic management; I am reminded f a passage frm the Old Testament (Exdus 34.7). visiting the iniquity f the fathers upn the children, and upn the children s children, unt the third and t the furth generatin. I fear that if this trend cntinues the breadth and depth f training will cntinuusly shrink, which wuld adversely affect safety. Perhaps the graduated licence system culd be further imprved by intrducing sme perfrmance based incentives:-- A shrter perid n prvisinal license fr thse wh pass the license test with a high scre. Thse wh recrd n traffic infringement culd be awarded a reduced prvisinal license perid. Thse wh have nt been invlved in any crash incident als be rewarded with a reduced prvisinal license perid. Peple wh perfrm inadequately culd be demted rather than suspended. That is, g back t an earlier phase with increased cntrls and supervisin. Thus keeping them in the management system. Many rganizatins thrughut the wrld have tried t implement prvisinal driver training curses f varius types. Research int, and assessment f these activities, has generally failed t prduce cnvincing psitive r negative utcmes. This has been due largely t the extrardinary difficulties encuntered by researchers in fllwing up n the perfrmance f participants and in establishing credible cntrl grups. Changes in scial, legislative and ther external events have als added elements f cnfusin t perceived utcmes. (Dan Reprt EU Prject 2000.) Many r mst f these studies have been carried ut by selecting grups n the basis f practical driver training, withut sufficient reference t the quality r apprpriateness f curse cntent, r the cntext in which the presentatins were carried ut. They have als been primarily ne day prgrammes. Lng experience assures me that these prgrammes shuld be tw t three day activities if we want t reach beynd basic vehicle handling skills and int the imprtant areas f attitudinal develpment in rder t achieve assured cnsequential behaviural change. Experience with many hundreds f yung peple assures me that trying t address attitudinal and behaviural cncepts befre a reasnable degree f driving autmaticity is achieved, is simply t difficult fr bth the instructr and student. Learning the initial driving skills is t cmplex t be cmbined with any ther cncepts. Until the vehicle can be handled at reasnable traffic speeds the student shuld nt be expsed t, nr shuld they expse thers t the dangers f the public rad. Many years f wrking with bth pre and prvisinal license hlders, ften in the same car at the same time, strngly indicates that attempts t present effective educatin and training t prvisinal drivers is smewhat like clsing the stable dr after the hrse has blted. In ur sciety, the attainment f a drivers licence is viewed by yung peple as a, if nt the, majr milestne in their Rite f Passage t adulthd. In many, if nt mst, teenage minds the attainment f the licence is the bjective, nt the safety aspects f rad use. In Maasai sciety in East Africa a yung man might be required t kill a lin as a mark Graham Smith Page 2 f 7

3 f his passage t manhd. In ur sciety the tw black acceleratin marks left n the bitumen are a representatin t them, and their mates, f a similar attainment f pwer. In a car with fur students, we ften have a prvisinal licence hlder and three pre-licence learners. The prvisinal driver will ften attempt t assert their superirity by shwing ff t the learners. If this des nt happen, then the learners may elevate the prvisinal driver nt a pedestal and create an expectatin f superir perfrmance. The degree f develpment f this interactin will depend n the grup dynamic. Often these precnceptins have t be dealt with and dispsed f, befre effective learning can begin. Smetimes a quite severe de-cnstruct / re-cnstruct technique has t be emplyed t clear the way fr learning t get started. It is these experiences which lead me t believe that it is much mre effective t present the fundamentals f safe driving educatin and training t pre- licence participants. Driving in mdern traffic situatins is a highly develped, scially interactive activity. Yet, we set abut preparing ur new drivers in a relatively islated ne-n-ne training situatin. The early intrductin t the cmplex task f driving and traffic behaviur wuld prve mre beneficial if early learners were intrduced t the subject in grups. In a safe nn-public rad envirnment, sme 20 t 30 beginners in fur r five cars can be effectively expsed t the range f attitudes, behaviurs, skills and aspiratins required fr effective rad use. In such a system these cncepts can be mixed and matched t suit the grup dynamic and prvide the basis fr a cllabrative interactive learning experience. Once basic vehicle handling skills are learned, sme vehicle dynamic limitatins understd and behaviural aspects f rad use have been experienced t an acceptable level; the learners can be carefully and safely intrduced t the real n-rad wrld. By this time a grup dynamic has been established and can be psitively utilized by a well trained and experienced driver educatr. develp and integrate different kinds and levels f activities which cntribute t intelligent actin rather than simply attempting t pass n frmal knwledge. we nly live in and knw abut ur wrld insfar as we engage in it in sme way. [G. Mrgan, R. Ramirez, Actin learning: a hlgraphic metaphr fr guiding scial change, Human Relatins 37 (1) (1983) 1 28.] In mdern sciety, in recent years we have effectively disengaged ur children frm much f the real wrld. It is nw nt easy fr a yung persn t be expsed t risk and thereby develp a sense f risk perceptin. Then, at 17 years f age, at a time when mst f their scial and emtinal envirnment is being redefined, there is a cultural expectatin that they will quickly and successfully master ne f the mst dangerus f human activities. Graham Smith Page 3 f 7

4 T stay safe in ur mdern traffic envirnment there is a lt t learn. Sme brain scientists are nw suggesting that learning t walk is the mst difficult thing a human being is required t d. These same scientists are als suggesting that driving a mtr vehicle is perhaps the secnd mst difficult thing we have t learn. [Understanding the Brain: The Birth f a Learning Science; O.E.C.D. Publicatin, C.E.R.I ] With 1.2 millin peple killed by mtr vehicles wrld wide each year perhaps they are crrect!! Surely we can d better!?!? The use f the large grup and several cars culd well wrk ut cheaper, in dllar terms, than the very expensive ne-n-ne system presently in use. This culd be a majr factr in emerging natins where any frmal type f learn-t-drive is nt in existence r is very rare. Fr example, there is very limited frmal learn-t-drive in Papua New Guinea. Cnclusin: Learn t drive trainers nly have a shrt perid f time with their students and are trying t impart a great deal f cmplex infrmatin, based n their wn training and experience. What I believe is required is mre research int the many and cmplex facets f safe driving. This research wuld greatly enhance the base knwledge and understanding f the human visual, haptic and auditry respnses required fr safe rad use. This, in turn, will fster the develpment f imprved educatinal prcesses, which wuld lead t mre effective rad use educatin. Further Research: There is an urgent need fr further research int the cncepts f mtin sensitivity and energy empathy. What are the mental and physical prcesses by which we perceive and respnd t speed, mass and distance in the n rad r traffic envirnment? T what extent are these prcesses visual, (either primary r peripheral) haptic r auditry? Hw are these perceptins and prcesses interrelated? The advent f effective simulatrs which can accurately replicate n-rad cnditins will allw us t better understand the human prcesses assciated with safe rad use. Our visin, r mre accurately the use f ur visin is the mst imprtant single skill a driver has t master. Eye tracking r gaze mnitring equipment is nw available. This technlgy has the ptential t pen up a very exciting new field f research. Used in cnjunctin with seat mvements, which adequately replicate feel, haptic respnses will be able t be mnitred and their effects n gaze rientatin and respnse measured and understd. Graham Smith Page 4 f 7

5 Varius distractins culd then be intrduced and their effects n peripheral visin and perceptin be gauged. Althugh perhaps still sme time away, brain scanning technlgy may be able t be incrprated t give us sme further insight int brain functin in relatin t safer rad use. These are very exciting pssibilities. Perhaps with sufficient understanding f the prcesses required we culd make the naturally cnditined 75kg and 25 k/h human safer, while we are trying t guide these missiles weighing frm ne t sixty tns r mre at unnatural speeds f 110k/h r greater. Further reference:- Hatakka, M., Keskinen, E., Gregersen, NP. & Glad, A, Hernetkski, K. (2001). Frm cntrl f vehicle t persnal self-cntrl; bradening the perspectives t driver educatin. [GDE framewrk (GADGET, 1999)] Graham Smith 88 Lrikeet Drive, Gympie gralyn@netspace.net.au Ph Graham Smith Page 5 f 7

6 Whither Driver Educatin and training? Summary The February A.C.R.S. Jurnal was dedicated t driver educatin & training. This presentatin will fcus n driver educatin & training, with particular emphasis n pre-license, learn t drive and prvisinal drivers. Grup learning rather than ne-n-ne learn t drive. Explain the purpse f ff-rad and n-rad learning experiences. Questin the value f any ne day driving curse. The drivers license as evidence f rite f passage t adulthd. Outline cllabrative interactive learning r Active Learning (as described by Mrgan& Ramirez) The failure t develp an effective methdlgy fr research and assessment int prvisinal licence hlder curses which prvide cnclusive results. Research pprtunities The use f simulatrs. The ptential value f eye tracking r gaze mnitring equipment. Measure haptic respnses and their effect n gaze rientatin and vehicle directin. The effect f distractin n gaze rientatin and peripheral visin/perceptin Brain scanning technlgy - a tl fr future use in understanding and enhancing rad safety. Graham Smith Page 6 f 7

7 Abstract Presenter Graham Smith Authr Smith, G. Affiliatins Title Radcraft Gympie, Queensland Whither Driver Educatin and Training? Intrductin: Emplying bth empirically sund research as well as 25 years driver educatin and training experience, the purpse f this paper is t prvide a critical review f the imprtance f pre-licence educatin, learn t drive and prvisinal licence learning activities. Als, reference will be made t Queensland s recently intrduced graduated licence system. Methds/ Results: A review f the scientific literature, including the dmestic and internatinal experience f driver educatin and training will be cnducted. Cnclusins: It will be argued that the early intrductin t the cmplex task f driving and traffic behaviur wuld be mre beneficial if pre-license learners were intrduced t the subject in grups. Fr example, in a safe, nn-public rad envirnment, it is pssible that 20 t 30 learners, in fur r five cars can be expsed t the range f attitudes, behaviurs, skills and aspiratins required fr effective rad use befre being intrduced t the real n-rad driving experience. It will be argued that thrugh the use f such a system, the cncepts can be mixed and matched t suit the grup dynamic and prvide the basis fr a cllabrative interactive learning experience, giving recgnitin and adding value t the cntributins f each participant. Research Pssibilities: The use f simulatrs. The value f eye tracking equipment, the measurement f haptic respnses and their effect n visin/perceptin and vehicle directin. Brain scanning technlgy. Graham Smith Ph gralyn@netspace.net.au Graham Smith Page 7 f 7

FOUNDATIONS OF DECISION-MAKING...

Table f Cntents FOUNDATIONS OF DECISION-MAKING... Errr! Bkmark nt Describe the decisin-making prcess pp.62-66... Errr! Bkmark nt Explain the three appraches managers can use t make decisins pp.67-70 Errr!