Distractions in Everyday Driving. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Transcription

1 Distractions in Everyday Driving AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

2 Did you know that Americans spend about one hour and 15 minutes in their vehicles every day? Unfortunately, people often treat this as a time to multitask and take care of other daily activities, from eating dinner to returning phone calls. With today s proliferation of mobile devices, dashboard technologies, and other tools that provide easy access to information, entertainment, and communications, in-vehicle distractions are increasing as is the temptation to give in to them. In fact, drivers spend more than half their time behind the wheel engaged in potentially distracting behaviors. So little time, so many multi-taskers. If you re driving your vehicle, you are already multitasking. At a minimum you are: operating a piece of heavy machinery at high speed; navigating across changing terrain; calculating speeds and distances; and responding to all the other drivers and obstacles around you. Putting one more activity in the mix -- even talking to your passengers or changing a radio station -- can be enough to make you lose control of your vehicle or fail to respond in an emergency. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

3 participants in two states, researchers concluded that it s not only the new or high-tech gadgets that are creating the biggest distractions. Drivers today are getting distracted by many of the same things that distracted drivers 100 years ago -- passengers, things that catch one s attention outside the vehicle, and objects in the vehicle that move or fall over. Activities like eating and reading are distractions just like high-tech ones, such as text messaging, ing, or talking on a cell phone. The younger the passenger, the bigger the potential distraction Dealing with passengers is one of the most frequently reported causes of distraction. Energetic teen passengers can be particularly distracting, especially to inexperienced, young drivers. Managing children and infants also requires special attention. Researchers report that kids are four times more distracting than adults as passengers, and infants are eight times more distracting. Everyone does it -- and that s not good A Foundation study found almost everyone reaches for something, adjusts a control, or gets distracted at some point while driving, which is one of the reasons distracted driving is such a big problem. Driver inattention is a factor in more than 1 million crashes in North America annually, resulting in serious injuries, deaths, and an economic impact that some experts say reaches nearly $40 billion per year. Most distractions are nothing new After reviewing crash-report data and footage from cameras mounted inside the vehicles of study

4 Different distractions, same results Quick quiz: What do eating a hamburger, getting into a discussion, and reading a GPS screen have in common? Well, if you re doing any of these things while driving, you become distracted in ways that increase your risk of crashing. In fact, distractions come in three forms: visual, manual, and cognitive. and their hands on the wheel, engaging in mentally-distracting tasks (such as talking on a hands-free phone or using a speech-to-text system) can lead to slowed reaction time, missed visual cues, tunnel vision, and even suppressed activity in the areas of the brain needed for safe driving. In short: hands-free doesn't mean risk-free! Visual distractions cause you to take your eyes off the road. When traveling at 65 mph, if you look at your GPS for two seconds to check where you are on the map, you ll have driven two-thirds the length of a football field before you see the road again. That gives you plenty of time and distance to get in a serious crash. Manual distractions take your hands off the wheel. When you use one or even both of your hands to get that hamburger under control, you risk losing control over something much more important your vehicle. You also are greatly slowing your ability to respond to changing or unexpected conditions that can occur without warning. Cognitive distractions take your mind off the task at hand. Recent AAA Foundation research has found that even when drivers keep their eyes on the road What about texting? With more and more states banning handheld phone usage and texting while driving, and new technologies being developed to lock keypads and block other functionality of mobile devices when you re behind the wheel, you may be thinking that there s a big fuss being made about texting. And you re right, because texting while driving combines all three types of these distractions. When your eyes are reading the screen, your fingers are typing on the keypad, and your mind is busy crafting a message, you re not paying attention to driving and you re more likely to crash up to 23 times more likely, in fact. But remember although texting while driving is extremely dangerous, it s by no means the only activity that combines all three potentially lethal types of distraction, and just because something may not be illegal doesn t mean it s safe.

5 Be aware that distraction is a problem that affects YOU. The AAA Foundation s sixth annual Traffic Safety Culture Index found that nearly 90 percent of motorists rated drivers talking on cell phones as a somewhat or very serious threat to their personal safety, and over 95 percent felt this way about drivers texting or ing. Yet more than 2/3 of respondents also admitted to talking on a cell phone while driving in the past month, more than 1/3 admitted to reading a text or in that time, and more than 1/4 admitted to typing or sending a text message or while driving. Don t touch that dial. Adjust seat positions, climate controls, sound systems, and other devices before you leave or while the vehicle is stopped. Know how your controls work, so if you must adjust something on the fly, you ll be less distracted. Use presets for radio and climate control, or have your passenger assist you. Stop to eat or drink. Drive-through windows and giant cup holders make it tempting to have a meal while driving, but you re safer when you stop to eat or drink. Reducing your risk will be worth the time you spend. Pull over to a safe place to talk on the phone, or send text messages or s. Cell phones can be a great resource for getting help or reporting trouble. But, whether you use a handheld phone or a hands-free device, talking while driving causes you to take your mind off the task at hand (and sometimes your eyes and hands, too). Your best bet is to pull off the road to a safe spot before you use your phone to talk, text, or surf the web. Be careful, because stopping on the road can be very dangerous. Find a safe area away from traffic. Learn how your phone s controls work in case an emergency call while driving is unavoidable. And practice good habits: Turn your phone off before you drive, so you won t be tempted to answer calls on the road. Plan ahead. Check directions and traffic conditions before you leave, so you'll be prepared for your journey. If you have a GPS, enter your destination information before departing, and pull over to a safe place if you need to make changes or review maps or route guidance. If possible, use a passenger as your navigator and assistant. Don t multitask and drive. Driving is complicated enough -- you ll become distracted if you do other things, too. Don t use the vehicle s mirrors for personal grooming when the vehicle is in motion. Don t try to read or write while you re behind the wheel. Just drive. Pull over to care for children. Change the baby, feed the kids, and buckle them into their vehicle seats before you leave. If you need to attend to them, pull over in a safe place -- don t try to handle children while you re driving.

6 Help teens identify and reduce distractions. New drivers face a big challenge behind the wheel; in fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that for every mile they drive, teens are four times more likely to be involved in a crash than other drivers. Additionally, crash risk increases with the number of passengers. Parents must model safe driving behaviors, and can teach teens to limit distractions and focus on the road. Per mile driven, teens are four times more likely to be involved in a crash than other drivers. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

7 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety th Street, NW, Suite 201, Washington, DC AAAFTS AAAFTS AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Foundation s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries through research into their causes and to educate the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries. STOCK #

8 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety th Street, NW, Suite 201, Washington, DC AAAFTS AAAFTS How To Avoid Drowsy Driving AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Foundation s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries through research into their causes and to educate the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries. STOCK # AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

9 What s Your Biological Time? Your body has its own biological clock. This clock tells you when you re hungry, when you re sleepy, and makes your body temperature go up and down. Most people s clocks run on a daily rhythm of approximately 24 hours -- a circadian rhythm, meaning about one day. But what time it is varies from person to person. Morning people feel most alert early in the day, while night people like to stay up late. Teenagers and young people have clocks that make them want to go to bed late and sleep late the next morning. As people get older they tend to wake up earlier and want to go to bed earlier. Sleepiness and Driving Don t Mix Feeling sleepy is especially dangerous when you are driving. Sleepiness slows your reaction time, decreases awareness and impairs your judgment, just like drugs or alcohol. People who are very sleepy behave in similar ways to people who are drunk. The impact that this has on traffic safety should not be underestimated. In fact, the AAA Foundation recently studied the prevalence and impact of drowsy driving and estimated that 16.5 percent of fatal crashes on the nation s roadways involve a drowsy driver. Night time is very risky for drivers, since sleep can become an irresistible urge. That urge is strongest between midnight and six a.m., when drivers are especially likely to have sleep-related crashes. Your biological clock is also programmed to make you feel sleepy in the middle of the afternoon, which can be a dangerous time. Many sleep-related crashes happen between one and five p.m., during the afternoon lull. Think about your own biological clock. What times of day do you feel most alert? When do you feel drowsy? Do you keep a schedule that lets you follow your clock? Knowing this information can help you make the best use of your time by allowing you to factor alertness into your planning. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

10 How much do you know about sleep? Do you know which of the seven statements about sleep are true versus false? When I m driving drowsy, all I need is some caffeine to wake me up. I can tell when I m about to fall asleep. I m a safe driver so it doesn t matter if I m sleepy. Alcohol can make you sleepy. I don t need much sleep. Being sleepy can lead to making mistakes. Young people need less sleep. When I m driving drowsy, all I need is some caffeine to wake me up. FALSE Caffeine can indeed increase alertness, but it s no substitute for sleep. Whether from coffee, tea, soda, or candy, caffeine makes you feel more alert, but takes about 30 minutes to enter your bloodstream and the effects last only two or three hours. If you are very sleepy and drink coffee, you can still have micro-sleeps -- tiny naps that last just a few seconds. At 65 miles per hour, you travel more than 100 yards in four seconds. That gives you plenty of time and distance to crash. Caffeine can be part of your strategy for driving alert, but it s not enough by itself. I can tell when I m about to fall asleep. FALSE Sleep is not something you can decide to do or not do. Everybody who has had insomnia knows they can t make themselves go to sleep. But most people don t realize they also can t make themselves stay awake. In a AAA Foundation study of drivers who fell asleep and crashed, nearly half said they felt only slightly drowsy or not at all drowsy just before the crash. You can fall asleep and not know it, and you can't tell how long you've been asleep. In fact, research has found that people need to be asleep for between two and four minutes before 50 percent of them acknowledge that they have, in fact, been sleeping. When you re driving, dozing for even a few seconds can be fatal. I m a safe driver so it doesn t matter if I m sleepy. FALSE Safe drivers are always alert. They keep their eyes open and they focus on the road, unlike sleepy drivers. Someone who is a safe driver when they re alert can become dangerous when they re sleepy. In the AAA Foundation's third annual Traffic Safety Culture Index survey of drivers, 41 percent admitted to having fallen asleep while driving in their lifetime, and more than 1/4 said that in the past month they'd driven when they were so tired they had a hard time keeping their eyes open. Despite this fact, 85 percent of respondents said such drowsy driving was "completely unacceptable.

11 Alcohol can make you sleepy. TRUE To someone who is very tired, one drink feels like four or five. If you have not had enough sleep during the week and you are out on Friday night, even one or two drinks can make you dangerously drowsy on the way home. When you re already tired, don t make matters worse by drinking -- and remember that the sleepiness remains, even if the alcohol has worn off. I don t need much sleep. FALSE Most people need about eight hours of sleep a night. While some need more and some need less, research shows that getting less than six hours of sleep is especially risky. If you go to bed late and wake up early, you are building up a sleep debt. By the end of the week you could be dangerously tired and at risk of having a crash. You can t overcome the need for sleep with willpower, and it won t go away by itself. Sleep is a basic need that plays a vital role in your body s health and function. Just like it s crucial to satisfy your body s feelings of hunger and thirst, getting enough rest is of the utmost importance. If you do spend eight hours sleeping but still feel tired, or if you have trouble sleeping, you may have a sleep disorder. Most disorders can be treated; see your doctor for a referral to a sleep specialist. Being sleepy can lead to making mistakes. TRUE When you re tired your judgment can be impaired and your brain can play tricks on you. You may do the wrong thing, or you think you have performed a task you have not really completed. A drowsy driver may not realize that the car is going the wrong way onto a divided highway, or that the car ahead is about to stop. Everyone, including doctors, police, engineers, and drivers, becomes less competent when they are sleepy. Young people need less sleep. FALSE In fact, teenagers and young adults need more sleep than older adults. They often get less because they have different sleep schedules than adults do. Brain chemicals that cause sleep are released later during adolescence, so teens think that being able to stay up late means they don t need much sleep. The reverse is true: They actually need around nine hours of sleep a night to be fully rested. Any less and they could end up driving drowsy, even if it s in the morning on the way to school.

12 Are you sleep deprived? Millions of people have a serious sleep debt. They can get this debt in many ways they work the night shift, hold two jobs, stay up late, work full-time while going to school, or have other scheduling problems. But some people can spend eight hours in bed and still be tired often because they have unrecognized or untreated sleep disorders. When your sleep debt gets big enough, there is nothing you can do to stay awake. You might be able to remain alert when you re busy or excited, but as soon as it gets quiet your sleep debt takes over and you go to sleep. For example, at a party you might feel perfectly awake, but when you get into your car you start to doze. To make matters worse, partygoers often drive when they are tired and have been drinking an exceptionally dangerous combination. Drive Alert... Arrive Alive! Driving can reveal your true level of sleepiness, especially in the afternoon or at night. Starting a trip feels exciting, but the alertness wears off, letting boredom and drowsiness take over. Here are some suggestions for ways to avoid driving drowsy: Don t drive when you are sleepy. If you become sleepy while driving, pull over and take a break. Get enough sleep, especially the night before a long trip. Sleeping less than six hours increases your risk of falling asleep at the wheel; sleeping less than four hours is especially dangerous. Also, don t plan to work all day and then drive all night. Research shows that a driver who has been awake 20 or more hours is at high risk of falling asleep. Travel at times when you are normally awake, and stay over-night rather than driving straight through. Travel with a passenger. An alert passenger can watch you for signs of fatigue. If you have a front seat passenger, he or she should remain awake. Take a power nap. Pull off the road to park in a safe place such as a parking lot or rest area; never pull over on the shoulder of the road. Be sure to pick a well-lit place where your car is visible to passersby. Roll up the windows, lock the doors, and lie back in the driver s seat for 20 minutes or so. When you wake up, get some exercise and have some caffeine. Schedule a break every two hours or every 100 miles. Stop sooner if you become sleepy. If you get a Trip Tik from AAA, ask a travel counselor to point out good places to stop. Many websites that provide directions offer the ability to indicate stopping places along the route.

13 Danger Signs for Drowsy Drivers People do not always recognize when they are sleepy. You may feel awake, but if you are tired you could fall asleep at any time. If you have any of the following symptoms of sleepiness, pull off the road as soon as possible and find a place to sleep. You have trouble keeping your eyes open and focused You can t keep your head up You daydream or have wandering, disconnected thoughts You yawn frequently or rub your eyes repeatedly You find yourself drifting from your lane or tailgating You miss signs or drive past your exit You feel irritable and restless You drift off the road and hit the rumble strips You are unable to remember how far you have traveled or what you have recently passed by If you have even one of these symptoms, you could be sleepier than you think. When planning your route, identify places where you can nap if the need arises. If You re Tired All the Time, You May Have a Problem A surprising number of people are tired because they have a sleep disorder that has not been diagnosed or treated. Sleep apnea, a common breathing disorder, causes the sleeper s throat to relax so deeply that breathing stops. The sleeper gasps, wakes up briefly, and then goes back to sleep. This process repeats itself, sometimes as many as 20 to 60 times an hour. The result is someone who has been in bed all night but still has not had enough sleep. Recognizing and treating sleep apnea is important, as it may be associated with an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke. Other sleep disorders include chronic insomnia, restless legs, and even narcolepsy, in which the sufferer falls asleep without warning during ordinary situations. Check your symptoms: Do you snore loudly? Have you been told that you gasp or choke in your sleep? Do you spend eight hours sleeping but still not feel rested? Do you fall asleep at unusual times, such as at dinner or at work? Do you have trouble going to sleep, or wake up in the middle of the night? These are all potentially symptoms of a sleep disorder. If you have any of them, you may wish to consult a doctor who specializes in sleep medicine.

14 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety th Street, NW, Suite 201, Washington, DC AAAFTS AAAFTS How To Avoid Headlight Glare AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Foundation s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries through research into their causes and to educate the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries. STOCK # AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

15 If bright headlights and glare bother you when you drive at night, you re not alone. But you don t need to continue to suffer. With the right strategies, the right driving techniques, and the right equipment, you can learn how to handle nighttime glare with confidence. New Lights, Old Problems Drivers have been complaining about glare ever since electric headlights began replacing oil lamps on automobiles more than 100 years ago. So why does glare seem to have grown worse? The answer involves technology, automotive design, and demographics. Extra Lights Many vehicles now sport fog lamps or other auxiliary lights in front. Ideally, fog lamps cast a low, broad beam to reduce back-scatter from the vehicle s headlights when water droplets hang in the air. They re intended to improve a driver s ability to see in foggy, misty, or hazy conditions. However, when they re aimed improperly or used on clear nights, they can annoy other drivers. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

16 High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Lights Introduced in Europe in 1996, HID lights are showing up on more cars in the United States, especially upscale models. Unlike conventional bulbs, HID headlights don t have filaments. Instead, they use a high voltage electrical arc to ionize xenon gas and make it glow. HID lights emit twice the light of halogen headlamps, but also produce a blue-white light. Other headlights look yellow by comparison. Whether you love HID lights or hate them depends on which side of the light you re on. Drivers with HID lights swear by them, while other drivers swear at them. Many motorists who are faced with HID lights find the amount of light and its blue-white quality blinding. In fact, a Foundation study surveyed drivers whose cars were equipped with HID headlights to determine how much glare their headlamps were causing for other drivers, and nearly 1 in 5 reported at least occasionally receiving high beam flashes from other drivers. The type of headlamp light source (HID vs. non-hid) was a significant predictor of receiving high beam flashes. Higher Lights Although no headlights can exceed the 54-inch height limit set by federal safety standards, many larger vehicles - such as light trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) - ride higher than cars. As a result their headlights often ride higher, too, leading to many complaints from car drivers that the lights on SUVs and pickup trucks shine directly into their eyes. Off-Kilter Lights Headlights pointed as little as one degree too high can make a huge difference to oncoming drivers. Misaimed beams also don t cast as much light on the road, where it is most needed. Unfortunately, studies show that almost half of the vehicles in states that require regular inspections had at least one improperly aimed headlight. And, vehicles more than five years old are twice as likely to have off-kilter headlights as new ones.

17 Your Eyes Like beauty, glare is often in the eye of the beholder. Drivers middle-aged and older are more sensitive to glare than younger drivers because their eyes take longer to adjust to changing light levels. For example, a 55-yearold takes eight times longer to recover from glare than a 16-year-old. As the population ages, the number of older drivers will continue to rise as will the number of complaints about glare. Lighter-colored eyes are more sensitive, which means the lighter your eyes are the more glare will bother you. Certain other conditions, such as having had vision-correction surgery that affects the corneas, may also increase your sensitivity to glare. Keep All Glass Clear and Clean Streaks, smudges, and road grime on your windows catch and refract light. This includes the inside of your windshield. Chemicals from the plastic in your car s interior slowly build up on the glass, until pretty soon you re looking at the windshield, not through it. Scratched eyeglasses or contact lenses also make glare worse. For maximum glare prevention, keep every surface between your eyes and the road as clear as possible -- including both sides of your windshield and your eyeglasses. Clean the windows both inside and out at least once a month to get rid of haze. Prepare to Fight Glare Even before you hit the road, prepare yourself and your vehicle for combating the bright lights ahead. Clean Your Headlights When you clean your windshield, be sure to clean your headlights, too. Even a thin layer of road grime on lenses can block up to 90 percent of the light and severely restrict your ability to see at night. Clean lenses are even more important if you have HID headlights. Dirt diffuses the light from HID lights and causes glare that can temporarily blind other drivers, so headlightcleaning systems are standard equipment on many cars with HID lights. Using the headlight cleaners regularly becomes a matter of enlightened self-interest for you; when you reduce glare for oncoming drivers you improve your own safety as well. After all, everybody shares the same road. While you re at it, clean your wiper blades with a paper towel dipped in windshield washer fluid. This removes grime and oxidized rubber from the edge of the blade and helps prevent streaking. If streaks persist, you need new blade refills available from any auto parts store or discount chain. Have chips or cracks in the windshield repaired immediately. Often a trained glass repair technician can fill small damaged areas with special resin -- a fast, inexpensive process that not only improves visibility but also prevents the crack or chip from growing and requiring a windshield replacement.

18 Aim Headlights Correctly If you live in a state that requires regular safety inspections, ask the technician to check and correct the aim of your headlights. If your state doesn t require such an inspection, take your vehicle to an auto mechanic, dealer or other properly equipped repair shop at least once a year for a headlight checkup. Your properly aligned headlights will help you see better, and will help other drivers avoid glare. Adjust Both Outside Mirrors Properly aligned mirrors not only reduce blind spots, they also reduce glare from vehicles behind you. AAA recommends the following method: While sitting in the driver s seat, lean to the left and tilt your head until it rests against the window. From that position, adjust the driver s side mirror so you can just see the left rear corner of the vehicle. Next, while sitting in the driver s seat, lean to the right and tilt your head until it s in the center of the vehicle. From that position adjust the passenger-side mirror so that the right rear corner of the vehicle is just visible. Now when cars pass you, you ll notice that your mirrors don t direct the brightest part of the headlights into your eyes. You ll also notice that the arrangement reduces blind spots and makes it easier to spot vehicles to the side and rear. Have Your Vision Checked Regularly The American Optometric Association recommends comprehensive eye exams every two years for persons age 60 and younger, and annually for those 61 and older. Age makes eyes more sensitive to glare, but certain medical conditions, such as encroaching cataracts will increase the problem. If the problem is detected early, your eye care professional can recommend effective treatment. These simple, but surprisingly effective techniques will help you fight glare: Behind-the Wheel Tips Avert Your Eyes When oncoming vehicles shine light directly into your eyes, look down and to the right. Turn your gaze to the white line on the right side of the road, or to where pavement meets shoulder, until the vehicle goes by. You can still see the vehicles around you with your peripheral vision, but the glare won t bother you as much because you are not using the most light-sensitive part of your eyes. Learn to Use Your Mirror s Night Setting All cars have day/night interior mirrors to reduce reflected glare from vehicles directly behind you. You can change the mirror to its night setting by flipping the small lever at the bottom of the mirror. This changes the angle of the reflective surface and appears to dim the mirror. Lights will show up in the glass, but they re much less bright and not so bothersome. Use Your Lights Courteously In fog, use only your low-beam headlights; high beams reduce your own ability to see and may temporarily blind other drivers. If your car has fog lamps, only use them if there is fog and in conjunction with your low beams. Avoid using your high beams when you see oncoming vehicles or when you drive in urban areas. Take Frequent Breaks If you re driving at night for a long time, stop often to reduce fatigue and give your eyes a chance to recover. Take a short nap, or at least a brisk walk and some caffeine to help you stay alert.

19 Extra Glare Protection If glare still bothers you after prepping your car and yourself for night driving and trying the techniques previously mentioned, consider these strategies: Anti-Reflective Eyeglass Coating Many eye care professionals strongly recommend glasses with an anti-reflective (AR) coating. This ultra-thin film, made from zircon and silicon, reduces internal reflections in the lenses. Unlike sunglasses or self-darkening lenses, which block some light, AR-coated glasses actually transmit more light -- about 8 percent more. This improves vision at night and helps distinguish fine details during the day. Highway patrol troopers have reported better night and day vision and reduced nighttime glare with AR-coated lenses. These lenses may help you too. Self-Dimming Mirrors Many upscale cars now offer self-dimming mirrors that reduce glare but allow you to maintain excellent rearward visibility. As glare becomes brighter, the mirrors become darker; as glare diminishes, the mirrors lighten up. These mirrors are available from some dealers and automobile parts stores. If you re particularly sensitive to reflected glare, consider getting self-dimming mirrors, either as replacements for your current mirrors or as equipment on your next car. If All Else Fails Drivers with vision problems may find that even these techniques don t help. In that case, consider driving less at night, or restricting your travel to routes that have good overhead roadway lighting and clear, well maintained pavement markings. Things to AvoidUsing Night Driving Glasses Some retailers offer special, tinted glasses that supposedly block the wavelengths of light responsible for most troublesome glare. Unfortunately, no matter what the color, these glasses also reduce the amount of light that reaches your eyes, and you need light to see. While these glasses may reduce glare, they also reduce your night vision overall. Wearing Sunglasses at Night Eye care professionals warn against wearing sunglasses at night, and they should also not be worn while driving in tunnels, parking garages, or other poorly-lit areas. They not only restrict your night vision but eventually, as your eyes get used to them, they become inadequate for daytime protection. Installing Imitation HID Headlights Those who envy the HID headlights on upscale cars often fall for the fake HID lights offered by some manufacturers as replacements. Even though they may have a xenon or blue in their names, they re often just ordinary halogen headlights that have been given a blue tint. Because of the added coloring they may actually provide less light than regular bulbs. If you must replace your headlights, don t buy cheap, imitation HID lights; consider using the lights recommended by your vehicle s manufacturer. The right strategies, driving techniques, and equipment will help you handle nighttime glare with confidence.

20 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety th Street, NW, Suite 201, Washington, DC AAAFTS AAAFTS The Older And Wiser Driver AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Foundation s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries through research into their causes and to educate the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries. STOCK # AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

21 Sharpening Your Driving Skills Aging is inevitable, but growing older doesn t have to mean giving up an active life. While aging does impose physical limitations, many people achieve their greatest successes later in life. For example, businessman Henry M. Leland founded the Cadillac Automobile Company when he was 59 years old. A few years later he left that company and started Lincoln Motor Company at the age of 74. Traffic safety is vital for drivers of all ages, but older drivers experience physical changes that can affect driving ability -- changes in vision, reaction time, and flexibility. While older drivers as a group do have more crashes than people in their 40s, their individual safety records differ as much as those of any group. Here are some things all drivers should pay attention to, but which are more likely to affect older drivers. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

22 Vision As everyone over 40 knows, eyes change with age, and usually not for the better. Physically, the eye s lenses lose the ability to change focus quickly, peripheral vision narrows, and the retina becomes less sensitive to light. The amount of light needed to drive roughly doubles every 13 years. A 45-year-old requires four times as much light as a 19-year-old, and a 60-year-old requires 10 times as much. Since 90 percent of decisions made while driving are based on information acquired through the eyes, good vision is crucial to safe driving. Get regular eye exams.the American Optometric Association recommends comprehensive eye exams every two years for persons age 60 and younger, and annually for those 61 and older. Cataracts are common and can be corrected with surgery; the progress of many other eye problems can be slowed if they are detected in time. If you have trouble with night vision or glare, limit driving to daytime hours. Turn your head frequently to compensate for diminished peripheral vision. Keep headlights, mirrors, and windshields clean including the glass inside the car. Add a larger rearview mirror to increase the range of visibility. Keep your eyes up look at the road ahead to see trouble before you reach it. In the city look at least one block ahead; on the highway look at the section of the road you ll reach in 20 to 30 seconds.

23 SENSING DECIDING ACTING Cognition While older minds may be just as sharp as younger ones, they react more slowly. Age lengthens the time it takes the brain to process information and also makes it harder to ignore distractions. Reacting to a situation while driving involves three steps: sensing, deciding, and acting. For an older driver, each step takes longer and possibly so long that it becomes dangerous. Here are some ways to help compensate for the natural tendency to need more time to act: Leave more room in front of the car. Allow a greater distance between you and the vehicle ahead, so you ll have plenty of time to stop. Avoid left turns if you are uncomfortable making them. You can sometimes make three right turns to avoid having to make a left. If you must turn left, pay extra attention to the speed of the cars coming toward you. Make sure you have enough time and space to safely cross oncoming traffic before turning, and watch for pedestrians who might force you to stop before you can safely complete your turn. Eliminate distractions, such as the radio or cell phone. If people in the car are distracting you, tell them they ll have a safer ride if they re quiet. Plan to go over your route ahead of time, so you won t reach an intersection and have to make a last-minute decision about which way to turn. If freeways are confusing or feel too fast-moving, use side roads. By the same token, if rush hour is stressful, limit your driving to slower times of day or use public transportation.

24 Fitness Driving is a physical activity, and a driver who gets no physical exercise may not have the strength, flexibility, or coordination to operate a vehicle safely. Even simply taking a brisk walk every day may help make you a safer driver. Stay physically fit. Walk for at least 20 minutes five times a week or the equivalent. Gardening, golf, tennis, and other sports can also help keep you in good physical shape. Stay mentally active. Using your problem-solving skills to do jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, or other non-driving activities can help keep your mind active and engaged in ways that may help you behind the wheel. Learning a new skill or hobby is fun at any age, and helps keep your mind flexible. Medication Medications can interfere with driving by making the driver drowsy or distracted. This includes many over-the-counter medications, such as decongestants or cold remedies. Some of the worst offenders include tranquilizers, pain pills, sleep medicines, antidepressants, cough medicines, and antihistamines. Read the fine print. If a medication you re taking is labeled Do not use while operating heavy machinery, let someone else drive. Inform your doctor about what non - prescription medication you are taking. This includes alcohol, which can interact with some drugs and cause serious side effects. Discuss your medication and its effects with your doctor or pharmacist. Discuss with your doctor or pharmacist your medication, its effects, and how it interacts with any other drugs you may be taking. If any medication makes you feel sleepy or disoriented, don t drive.

25 When to Stop A driver s chronological age is not a good predictor of driving ability. What counts on the road is performance and both physical and mental fitness. Here are a few of the signs of diminished capacity for driving safely: Having a series of minor accidents or near crashes Having wandering thoughts or being unable to concentrate Being unable to read ordinary road signs Getting lost on familiar roads Having other drivers honk at you frequently Being spoken to about your driving by police, family, and friends Getting Additional Help Many driver refresher courses are offered in local communities. These courses can update you on changes in traffic laws, signs, signals, and markings, and offer safe driving tips. Some also offer actual behind-the-wheel assessments, which can be especially helpful in sharpening your driving skills. Behind-the-wheel assessments are also offered by some physical rehabilitation specialists; these can be very important when one s driving abilities have been affected by a stroke or other serious ailment. Contact your local AAA Club to locate the class nearest you. By adhering to these simple guidelines you, too, can remain an older and wiser driver! And remember -- always wear your safety belt! Know Your Limits Being a safe driver means more than avoiding crashes. It also means paying attention to road conditions and being aware of your own changing abilities. Just a few simple adjustments, such as limiting your driving to certain times or adding an extra-wide mirror, can help protect you and those around you from deadly crashes.

26 Over the Edge and Back What to do if you drive off the pavement edge AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

27 Pavement edge drop-off Pavement edge drop-off is a common safety hazard, and is particularly dangerous if the difference in height between the pavement and the adjacent surface is two inches or more. Drop-offs can result from broken pavement, erosion of an unpaved shoulder, inadequate maintenance, or the resurfacing of a travel lane but not its adjacent shoulder. You may be caught by surprise... suddenly you feel one or two of your tires drop off the pavement. Pavement edge drop-off crashes are over twice as likely to be fatal relative to other crashes on similar roads. If you do drive off the pavement and do not know the recommended recovery technique, you could lose control of your vehicle and crash into a tree or other object alongside the road, crash into another vehicle on the road, or even roll over. Although relatively infrequent compared to other types of crashes, pavement edge drop-off crashes are over twice as likely to be fatal relative to other crashes on similar roads. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

28 What to do if you drive off the pavement edge You may drive, or be forced, off the road for any number of reasons, so it s good to know what to do and what not to if it happens. It s not about returning to the road quickly; it s about returning to the road safely. Follow these steps: IF THE SHOULDER IS WIDE ENOUGH AND YOUR PATH IS CLEAR Continue to look at the road ahead. Drive all the way onto the shoulder. Gradually stop and collect yourself. Wait for a large gap in traffic, and then drive back onto the road. IF YOU CAN T DRIVE ALL THE WAY ONTO THE SHOULDER AND STOP Continue to look and steer straight ahead. Do not try to steer back onto the road immediately this can cause you to lose control of your vehicle and crash. For example, if you re driving at a high speed and you suddenly steer sharply, you may accidentally drive into oncoming traffic. Moreover, if your tires are close to the pavement edge and you attempt to drive back onto the road, they may scrub against the edge rather than surmount it. This makes it very difficult to drive back onto the road, and you are at risk of overcorrecting, losing control, and crashing into another vehicle or roadside object.

29 IF THERE ARE NO OBSTACLES DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOU Steer to straddle the pavement edge. Move the tires that are off the road away from the pavement edge, and then steer parallel to it. This will prevent your tires from scrubbing. Most importantly, continue to look at the road ahead. SCRUBBING: If you drive too close to the pavement edge, tire scrubbing will make it difficult to return to the road. DO NOT SLAM ON THE BRAKES! Ease off the gas pedal. If you need to brake, brake very gently. If you brake hard while your tires are on different surfaces, this can cause your vehicle to skid. SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY Slowing down will help you get back onto the road without losing control. If there are no obstacles in front of you, slow down to 25 mph or less before mounting the pavement. TAKE SOME TIME TO CALM DOWN If you have room, drive all the way off the road and as far onto the shoulder as possible to stop. STRADDLING: Steer to straddle the pavement edge, moving the outer tires away from the drop-off. QUARTER TURN: Turn the steering wheel about one-quarter turn to the left and drive back onto the pavement. WAIT UNTIL IT S SAFE After you ve slowed down or stopped, wait until there is a gap in traffic. Do not try to drive back onto the road if there is any traffic in your lane, or an adjacent or oncoming lane. When the road is all clear, turn the steering wheel about one-quarter turn to the left. Drive back onto the pavement. When all of your tires are on the pavement, steer back to the right to stay in your lane. CALL FOR HELP If you cannot safely return to the roadway, drive as far off the pavement as you can, come to a gradual stop, and call for help.

30 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety th Street, NW, Suite 201, Washington, DC AAAFTS AAAFTS AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Foundation s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries through research into their causes and to educate the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries. STOCK #

31 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety th Street, NW, Suite 201, Washington, DC AAAFTS AAAFTS Road Rage: How to Avoid Aggressive Driving AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Foundation s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries through research into their causes and to educate the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries. STOCK # AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

32 Aggressive driving is a major concern of the American public and a real threat to the safety of all road users. In a survey conducted by the AAA Foundation, nearly 9 in 10 respondents said they believed aggressive drivers were a somewhat or very serious threat to their personal safety. This same survey found that a substantial number of drivers admitted to engaging in potentially aggressive behaviors, such as traveling more than 15 mph above the speed limit, or running a red light. By using the tips in this brochure, you can avoid becoming a victim. In the process you may find that driving has become a completely new and more enjoyable experience. Any unsafe driving behavior, performed deliberately and with ill intention or disregard for safety, can constitute aggressive driving. In fact, a Foundation study found that potentially aggressive actions such as tailgating, erratic lane changing, or illegal passing are a factor in up to 56% of fatal crashes. In extreme cases, this may escalate to road rage, which is a violent criminal act involving an intention to cause physical harm. A separate AAA Foundation study looked at more than 10,000 road rage incidents committed over seven years, and found they resulted in at least 218 murders and another 12,610 injury cases. When drivers explained why they became violent, the reasons were often trivial: She wouldn t let me pass, They kept tailgating me, or, as this driver accused of attempted murder explained, He practically ran me off the road what was I supposed to do? AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

33 How can you avoid being the victim of an aggressive driver? Here are three basic guiding principles that can help: 11. Don't offend When surveys ask drivers what angers them most, the results are remarkably consistent. A few specific behaviors seem unusually likely to enrage other drivers. You can protect yourself by avoiding them: Cutting off. When you merge, make sure you have plenty of room. Use your turn signal to show your intentions before making a move. If you make a mistake and accidentally cut someone off, try to apologize to the other driver with an appropriate gesture. If someone cuts you off, slow down and give them room to merge into your lane. Gestures. Almost nothing makes another driver angrier than an obscene gesture. Keep your hands on the wheel. Avoid making any gestures that might anger another driver, even harmless expressions of irritation like shaking your head. Be a cautious and courteous driver. Signal every time you merge or change lanes, and whenever you turn. Use your horn rarely, if ever. If you and another driver see a parking space at the same time, let that person have it. And if another driver seems eager to get in front of you, say Be my guest. When you respond this way, after a while be my guest becomes your automatic response and you won t be as offended by other drivers rudeness. Driving slowly in the left lane. If you are in the left lane and someone wants to pass, move over and let them by. You may be in the right because you are traveling at the speed limit --- but you may also be putting yourself in danger by making drivers behind you angry. In many states and provinces the law requires you to travel in the right lane and use the far left lane only for passing. Besides, it s simple courtesy to move over and let other drivers by. Tailgating. Drivers get angry when they are followed too closely. Allow at least a two-second space between your car and the car ahead. [When you see the car pass a fixed point, you should be able to count at least one-thousand, two-thousand before you pass that point.] If you think another car is driving too slowly and you are unable to pass, pull back and allow more space, not less. That way if the car does something unexpected you will have time to get out of the way. You should be able to see the headlights of the car behind you in your rear-view mirror. If you feel you are being followed too closely, signal and pull over to allow the other driver to go by.

34 2Don't engage One angry driver can t start a fight unless another driver is willing to join in. You can protect yourself against aggressive drivers by refusing to become angry at them. Orator Robert Ingersoll said, Anger blows out the lamp of the mind. When angry, a person can do things they may later regret. If you re tempted to retaliate against another driver, think: Would I want to fly in an airplane whose pilot was acting like this? Think about what kind of a crash your angry actions could cause. Then cool down and continue your trip. Steer clear. Give angry drivers lots of room. A driver you may have offended can snap and become truly dangerous. If the other driver tries to pick a fight, put as much distance as possible between your vehicle and the other car, and then get away as quickly as possible. Do not under any circumstances pull off to the side of the road and try to settle things man to man. Avoid eye contact. If another driver is acting angry with you, don t make eye contact. Looking or staring at another driver can turn an impersonal encounter between two vehicles into a personal duel. And once things get personal, the situation can get out of hand fast. Get help. If you believe the other driver is following you or is trying to start a fight, get help. If you have a cell phone, use it to call the police. Otherwise, drive to a place where there are people around, such as a police station, convenience store, shopping center, or even a hospital. Use your horn to get someone s attention. This will usually discourage an aggressor. Do not get out of your car. Do not go home. 3 Adjust your attitude The most important actions you can take to avoid aggressive driving take place inside your head. By changing your approach to driving, you can make every trip more pleasant. Try these ideas for a pleasant change: Forget winning. For too many motorists, driving becomes a contest. Do you allow the shortest possible time for a trip and then race the clock? If something happens to slow you down do you get angry? The solution: Allow more time for your trip. You ll be amazed at how much more relaxed you feel when you have a few extra minutes. So instead of trying to make good time, try to make time good. Listen to soothing music or a book on tape. Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing. You ll arrive much calmer, fresher, and in a less stressed-out frame of mind. Put yourself in the other driver s shoes. Instead of judging the other driver, try to imagine why he or she is driving that way. Someone speeding and constantly changing lanes may be a volunteer fireman, or a physician rushing to a hospital. Someone who jerks from one lane to another may have a bee in the car or a crying baby. Whatever their reason, it has nothing to do with you. Stay cool and don t take other drivers actions personally. If you think you have a problem, ask for help. Courses in anger management have been shown to reduce heart attacks. These same techniques can also help angry drivers. Drivers who successfully reinvent their approach to the road report dramatic changes in attitude and behavior. Look for anger management courses in your area. Self-help books on stress reduction and anger management can also be helpful.