Purpose

The general principles of signs, signals, and legislation are reviewed. The student is introduced to the basic concepts of hazards, gates, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute (IPDE), and looking for cues from other vehicles.

Duration: 120 minutes

Learning Objectives

Performance Objectives

Actively participate in discussions and group work.

Knowledge Objectives

Student knows:

• what the basic shapes and colours of road signs signify;
• the basic principles of legislation: minimum fines, unsafe actions, Vehicle Administration Act, Highway Traffic Act, Criminal Code of Canada, local bylaws, etc. ;
• how to deal and interact with pedestrians;
• the legislation concerning school buses;
• the range and different classifications of traffic control devices;
• the concepts of hazards and gates;
• the IPDE method of dealing with hazards; and,
• the concept of "reading cues" from other drivers and vehicles.

Teaching Points

1. Signs, signals, and laws are intended to improve the predictability of traffic and, consequently, improve safety.
2. The key to reading traffic is detecting hazards.
3. Using the IPDE method of detecting and thereby avoiding hazards will keep you out of trouble in almost all situations (CCT).
4. There are a lot of cues available to tell you what other drivers are going to do if you know how to read them.

Content

1. Basic shapes and colours of traffic signs, types of signals and traffic lights - see Driver's Handbook.
2. Principles of legislation, minimum fines, concepts of an action being "unsafe" if an accident results - see Driver's Handbook.
3. Legislation regarding pedestrians; e.g., at a crosswalk, passing at intersections - see Driver's Handbook.
4. School bus legislation and driving practices - see Driver's Handbook.
5. Hazards and gates - see Driver's Handbook.
6. IPDE - The Driving Task Analysis.

   Human functions, mental as well as physical, are involved in performing the many tasks and sub-tasks of driving, regardless of whether the driver is negotiating a curve, passing another vehicle, or parking, he must read the traffic scene, make predictions and decisions, and implement his decision. Competency depends upon the driver's proficiency in performing these functions.

   In this lesson, students will acquire a mental picture of the functions (Identify, Predict, Decide, and Execute) as they relate to the driving task. This background is important because the functions will serve as fundamental concepts, connecting points, and goals for the curriculum. Each segment will relate and contribute to developing student proficiency in one or more of the functions.

   In teaching the functions of driving, it must be emphasized that they interrelate and interact and are separated in the lesson only for purposes of analysis. Furthermore, the functions are not necessarily performed consciously; in fact, they rarely are.

7. Look at other drivers and vehicles to get clues as to what they are going to do. For example: front left wheel turning may indicate lane change; position within lane at an intersection may indicate direction the driver is turning; gaining eye contact with another driver can tell you if the driver has seen you.

IDENTIFY

One of the basic functions in the driving task is to acquire and maintain a clear, concise, complete, and accurate picture of the traffic scene in order to identify any critical objects or changes which may require driver action.

1. Vision is the primary medium through which the driver acquires environmental and vehicular information. Visual observations are limited by the physical abilities of the eyes to see clearly (acuity), judge depth and distance, distinguish colours, see in low illumination, and adapt to glare.
2. Besides visually acquired information, the driver senses important cues through his senses of feel and hearing.
   • the driver should have a sense of "road feel" of what the car is doing through every physical contact; the floor seat, brakes and steering wheel.
   • auditory cues can also help:

     - rocks hitting the underside of your car on a gravel road may indicate you have drifted out of the track,

     - honking horns,

     - train horn

     - siren

3. From our eyes and other sensory equipment, the messages go to the brain:
   • the brain cannot deal with all the things we see, hear or feel, but instead selects only those incoming sensations it wants to consider;

     - which stimuli are selected and identified depends upon:

     - the degree of threat,

     - previous experiences and learning; and,

     - motives and emotions in play at the time

     - as the number of elements (cues) to be identified increases, the chance of missing an important cue increases.

PREDICT

After a driver identifies important elements in the traffic scene, he must predict possible outcomes.

These predictions will involve:

• traffic laws and controls;
• physical forces;
• human characteristics and driving norms;
• vehicle dynamics

The most important questions are:

• which of these could create a hazard?
• which ones are potential hazards (those that may require action) and which ones are real hazards (those that will require action)?

DECIDE

Formulating a course of action with intent to execute it makes up the decision-making function in operating a motor vehicle. Drivers make predictions on the basis of their perceptions, and then make decisions on the basis of their predictions.

The uncertainty and complexity of the traffic environment generate for the driver many and varied decision problems ranging from minor automatic to highly complex decisions. The simple and routine decisions need to become a matter of habit, allowing the higher centre of brain activity additional time for more difficult or complex decisions.

Decision time increases with:

• the number of choices
• the difficulty of the decision

  Because of the compounding effect of multiple elements in the traffic scene, drivers will benefit from decisions that reduce the number of elements they must contend with simultaneously:

  - adjust speed to avoid meeting an oncoming vehicle at any hazard, for example, at a narrow bridge;

  - avoid manoeuvres (backing, parking) in combination with any dangerous highway or traffic condition;

  - drivers should adjust the heater or radio, converse with passengers, and do other non-operational tasks only where the vehicle is under control, and only when traffic conditions are relatively free of hazardous elements;

  - pre-trip decisions can reduce many possible combinations of dangerous elements (destination, congested areas avoided, children entertained, driver and vehicle fit); and,

  - speed and quality of decision making varies from person to person, depending upon the individual's previous experience and familiarity with the situation that demands the decision.

EXECUTE

The sensory and mental functions (identification, prediction, decision) finally culminate in the performance function as the driver executes his/her decisions. Failure in execution is a failure to do what was intended and is not a mistake in decision.

The driver has only three courses of action open:

• accelerate;
• brake; or,
• steer left or right.

These may be used alone or in combination.

The driver's success in making the vehicle do what is wanted depends on:

• experience;
• vehicle familiarity;
• vehicle handling skills;
• vehicle condition;
• driver condition; and,
• road condition.

  When a stimulus of a dangerous situation is sufficiently violent, drivers may break down and allow a reflex or impulsive action to take over or they may "freeze" (information function is by-passed).

Drivers who do not effectively use the IPDE process are constantly being faced with last minute (panic) decisions. Predictably, these decisions are often poor ones, resulting in accidents or near-miss situations. See Driver's Handbook for examples.

Assignments

1. Identify six cues from watching other vehicles. Make a list and bring it to the next class.
2. Identify the location of six different types of signs (to be set by the instructor).
3. Identify what type of legislation (Criminal Code, Vehicle Administration Act, Highway Traffic Act) deals with drinking and driving, and wearing seat belts.
4. Research and write in your own words what the legislation says about drinking and driving and not wearing seat belts, and what the penalties are if someone is convicted of one of these offenses. Include both federal as well as provincial legislation (COM).

Instructional Approaches

• Presentation consists primarily of overhead transparencies or print handouts.
• Solicit information from the class and fill in the gaps.
• Discuss meanings and general principles.
• Videos on IPDE.

Support Requirements

Materials

• Copies of Driver's Handbook.
• Copies of drinking-driving and seat belt legislation.
• Appropriate audio-visual materials.

Equipment

• Projectors