CHAPTER 16PHYSICAL

READINESS OF DRIVING

FATIGUE WHAT IS FATIGUE?

IS THE WEARINESS RESULTING FROM TOO MUCH PHYSICAL OR MENTAL EXERATION.

FATIGUE IS DANGEROUS IF YOU ARE DRIVING BECAUSE YOUR SENSES ARE IMPAIRED.

4 TYPES OF FATIGUE

1. ATTENTION FATIGUE

2. VISUAL FATIGUE

3. MUSCULAR FATIGUE

4. SLEEP FATIGUE

WHAT IS DRIVER FATIGUE

Driver fatigue is a physiological and psychological condition that significantly affects driving ability and judgment. Sleepy driving impairs alertness and response time and increases the risk of accidents.

SIGNS OF DRIVER FATIGUE

Warning signs of driver fatigue include:

Daydreaming Driving over the center line Excessive yawning Feeling impatient Heavy eyes Slow reactions Stiffness.

WAYS TO AVOID FATIGUE

1. First and most importantly, get plenty of rest before you need to drive anywhere. Sleep deprivation can creep up on a person, so know that you have been getting proper sleep that is neither uninterrupted nor fragmented.

2. Recognize the signs of driver fatigue: drowsiness, difficulty focusing, blinking more than normal, yawning, heavy eyelids, your head will nod, and rubbing your eyes. If you have any of these symptoms or signs, don't continue driving. Either avoid driving altogether, or have someone else take over the wheel.

3. If you must continue driving, stop for frequent breaks. Get out of the vehicle and move around; getting the blood pumping through your body. Every two hours or 100 miles is a good time frame to shoot for when taking breaks.

WAYS TO AVOID FATIGUE

4. Schedule a travel buddy. This is someone who could take your place driving if you get too tired. This is especially important for very long road trips.

5. Some other techniques that work for some people are to open the windows to have the cold air wake them, turn up the radio and sing along, and consuming caffeine.

THE SENSES

VISION BECAUSE SO MANY OF YOUR

DECISIONS AS A DRIVER ARE BASED ON WHAT YOU SEE AND WHEN YOU SEE IT, GOOD VISION IS ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT PHYSICAL QUALITIES NECESSARY FOR DRIVING.

VISION VISUAL ACUITY - IS THE ABILITY TO

SEE OBJECTS BOTH NEAR AND FAR.

FIELD OF VISION - IS THE AREA YOU CAN SEE DIRECTLY IN OF YOU, TO THE SIDES, AND STRAIGHT AHEAD.

PERIPHERAL VISION - Peripheral vision, or side vision, is that part of vision that detects objects outside the direct line of vision.

VISION

CENTRAL VISIONPERIPHERALVISION

VISION DEPTH PERCEPTION – IS THE ABILITY

TO JUDGE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO OBJECTS.

COLOR VISION – IS THE ABILITY TO SEE COLOR

COLOR BLINDNESS – IS THE INABILITY TO DEFFERENTIATE BETWEEN CERTAIN COLORS ………..RED AND GREEN

HEARING HEARING GREATLY INCREASES YOUR

AWARENESS WHILE DRIVING. YOUR EARS DETECT SOUNDS OF POTENTIAL HAZARDS OUTSIDE THE CAR SUCH AS:

HORNS SIRENS TRAIN WHISTLES

HEARING HEARING ALSO TELLS YOU: WHEN TO SHIFT GEARS SOUNDS THAT MAY WARN YOU OF IMPENDING ENGINE PROBLEMS THE SCREECHING OF TIRESNOTE: SO THAT IS WHY THE WEARING OF A

HEADSET OR EARPHONES WHILE DRIVING TO LISTEN TO MUSIC IS ILLEGAL.

AGE

AGE AGE IS ANOTHER PHYSICAL

CONDITION THAT CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON A PERSONS DRIVING ABILITIES.

OLDER DRIVERS ARE BETTER AT DETECTING AND AVOIDING POTENTIAL HAZARDS THAN YOUNGER DRIVERS.

AGE HOWEVER THEY ALSO TEND TO HAVE

THE FOLLOWING: DECREASED REACTION TIME WEAKER EYESIGHT POORER HEARING

AGE YOUNGER DRIVERS HAVE: BETTER EYESIGHT BETTER HEARING FASTER REACTION TIME

BUT LACK THE ONE THING THAT OLDER DRIVERS HAVE:

EXPERIENCE !

ILLNESSWHEN TO DRIVE OR NOT TO DRIVE

ILLNESS AVOID DRIVING WHEN YOU ARE SICK. YOUR REACTION TIME IS AFFECTED

WHEN YOU ARE SICK.

THE MEDICATIONS YOU TAKE ALSO AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE.

MOST MEDICATIONS HAVE LISTED ON THE WARNING LABEL DO NOT OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE TAKING THIS MEDICATION.

CHRONIC ILLNESS & DISABILTIY

A CHRONIC IS ONE THAT IS ONGOING. EXAMPLES: DIABETES ASTHMA EPILESPY GLAUCOMA CANCER HEART DISEASE MOOD DISORDERS

CHRONIC ILLNESS & DISABILTIY

MANY OF THESE CHRONIC DISEASES AFFECT DRIVING ABILITY BY IMPAIRING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE BODY’S NORMAL FUNCTION. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL QUITE POSSIBLE TO DRIVE RESPONSIBLY WITH CHRONIC DISEASES.

CHRONIC ILLNESS & DISABILTIY

PERSONS WITH PERMANENT PHYSICAL DISABILITIES THAT LIMIT THEIR USE OF ARMS, LEGS, OR HANDS CAN DRIVE VEHICLES ADAPTED WITH SPECIAL EQUIPMENT SUCH AS:

HAND-OPERATED FOOT PEDALS

STEERING WHEEL “SPINNERS”

SPECIAL DRIVING DEVICES

SPECIAL DRIVING DEVICES

SPECIAL DRIVING DEVICES

SPECIAL DRIVING DEVICES

INJURIES TEMPORARY INJURIES ARE ALSO MAY

IMPAIR ONE’S ABILITY TO DRIVE.

A PHYSICAL INJURY IS A DISTRACTION BECAUSE OF THE PAIN OR DISCOMFORT THAT IS GENERALLY ASSOCIATED WITH AN INJURY.

CERTAIN INJURIES MAY AFFECT YOUR RANGE OF MOTION IN YOUR ARMS, LEGS, HEAD, TORSO AND NECK.

THE MENTAL CONDITION OF THE

DRIVER

THE MENTAL CONDITION OF THE DRIVER

YOUR EMOTIONAL STATE IS VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE WELL. GIVING INTO YOUR EMOTIONS WHILE DRIVING DIMINISHES YOUR COORDINATION AND CONCENTRATION.

THE MENTAL CONDITION OF THE DRIVER

a. Distraction from the driving task. Our thoughts tend towards the cause of theemotion.

b. Reaction to events around us. If we are upset, we may tend to react in a more aggressive manner to others around us.

THE MENTAL CONDITION OF THE DRIVER

The goal of emotional control is to recognize and understand your mental and physical limitations and drive within those limits.

THE MENTAL CONDITION OF THE DRIVER

EVERY EMOTION AFFECTS YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE. WHEN YOU ARE:

ANGRY (NON-ROAD RAGE) EXCITED DEPRESSED UPSET OVER A PERSONAL

ISSUE(S)

ALL OF THESE EMOTIONS CAN TAKE THE FOCUS OFF THE ROAD AND ONTO YOUR PROBLEMS

EMOTIONS YOUR EMOTIONAL STATE IS HEIGHTENED

AND IS A VERY POWERFUL CONDITION WHICH AND CAN AFFECT A DRIVER’S ABILITY TO PERCEIVE AND RESPOND TO THE THREATS OF THE ROAD.

WHENEVER A DRIVER IS EXTREMELY ANGRY, SAD, EXUBERANT, UPSET, ANXIOUS, DEPRESSED OR FRUSTRATED THAT DRIVER SHOULD NOT BE BEHIND THE WHEEL BECAUSE HIS OR HER DECISIONS MAY BE STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY THEIR EMOTIONS.

EMOTIONS WHY ARE TEENAGE DRIVERS MORE

AFFECTED BY EMOTIONS THAN OTHER DRIVERS?

MANY NEW EMOTIONS ARE BEING EXPERIENCED DURING THEIR ADOLESCENT YEARS.

EXAMPLE: LOVE OR AFFECTION

LONELINESS FEAR

EMOTIONS ANOTHER REASON IS THAT TEENAGER

‘S ARE HAVING THEIR BRAINS REWIRED FOR ADULTHOOD.

THIS CAN CAUSE A TEENAGER TO BE PUT IN A POSITION OF NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY WANT AND UNABLE TO CONTROL THEIR EMOTIONS.