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     Types of Drivers

WHAT'S YOUR TYPE?

You may be alone in your vehicle, but you're never alone on the road. You share the pavement with a multitude of vehicles-cars, pickups, 18-wheelers, motorcycles, bicycles, school buses and emergency vehicles.

You also share it with a multitude of people and their various personalities, preferences, habits and idiosyncrasies. Some forgot their glasses and aren't seeing too well; others had three or four drinks at dinner and are driving under the influence. You just never know. Maybe the woman next to you lost her job this morning, and the man in front of you just had a fight with his son. The teenager in the car on your right has been driving for only two weeks, while the 85-year-old man behind you has been driving for 70 years.

All these people are out there with you. Their ability to drive is affected by numerous factors-physical and emotional. Let's take a closer look at some of the different types of drivers you share the road with.

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THE SENIOR DRIVER

People 65 and older are among the fastest growing segment of our population. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tells us that in 1997, people 65 and older made up 13 percent of America's population, yet accounted for 18 percent of all traffic fatalities. In 2000, that same group is expected to represent 20 percent of the U.S. population. Within the next decade, hundreds of thousands of Baby Boomers will turn 65, swelling the number of older drivers on the roads in the years ahead.

Most older drivers do an excellent job. But as we age certain physical changes occur. Sometimes it happens so gradually we hardly notice. Deterioration of vision, hearing or reaction time occurs almost unnoticed...until we find ourselves in a crucial situation we can no longer handle. The result: a crash the driver could have easily avoided a few years earlier.

This physical deterioration helps explain why the accident rate of drivers 65 and older, in terms of miles traveled, is exceeded only by drivers under the age of 24. Frequently reported mistakes by older drivers include inattention, failure to drive in the proper lane, failure to signal or to observe "Stop" signs and signals, and unreasonably slow driving speeds on busy highways.

Consider some of the challenges an older driver faces:

• With age, hearing and eyesight diminish.
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• Reaction time slows. It takes longer to perceive various traffic situations and make the appropriate decisions.
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• Physical dexterity diminishes. Older people can't act with speed and decisiveness in an emergency.
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• Various medications taken for a health condition can also affect driving ability adversely.
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• Older drivers are more susceptible to injury. What may have been a minor accident a few years ago could result in injury or death today.
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• If you find yourself in traffic with an older driver, try to be patient and understanding of the above factors. Don't follow too closely or honk at them to speed up. Give them time and space to maneuver. If their driving frustrates you, simply wait for a safe opportunity to pass.

If you are an older driver:

• Talk candidly with your physician about your driving ability AND about the effect any of your medications may have on your ability to drive safely.
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• Keep informed about traffic laws by checking with your local police, Kansas Highway Patrol or the Department of Motor Vehicles.
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• Be especially alert at the wheel. Try to anticipate unexpected behavior by other drivers and watch carefully for pedestrians and cyclists.
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• Try not to drive too slowly. It's actually unsafe, as you can obstruct traffic behind you.
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• Avoid driving busy streets and highways during morning or evening rush periods. Try to plan your appointments and errands at less-heavily traveled times.
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• Keep your vehicle in tip-top shape. Have your tires, belts and fluid levels checked regularly.

If you are the child or spouse of an older driver:

The time may come when family members must make the very difficult decision about whether to take an elderly relative off the road. For the senior, this loss of independence can have devastating emotional effects and can cause great resentment, so it's a decision that should be made carefully and with the input of other family members. These guidelines can help you ascertain when you may need to address the situation.

1. Ride along with the older driver. Focus on the driver's speed control (too fast or too slow), how they function at intersections (stopping properly and judging other vehicles' speed accurately) and how about lane-changing techniques (looking behind, checking mirrors).
2. Make sure eye exams are conducted regularly and talk to the doctor about your concerns.
3. Have there been some little fender-benders? Frequently these are tip offs that a bigger crash may be just around the corner.
4. Enroll the senior in a driver safety program and get feedback from the instructor about your relative's driving ability. Groups like AARP have such programs available.

 

THE TEENAGE DRIVER

Attitudes about driving are formed by age 9. Those attitudes help determine the kind of driver a person will become. Because children generally adopt attitudes similar to those of their parents, parents must be aware of the effect their own driving behaviors will have on their young ones and set a good example.

Some of the most positive attitudes about driving that parents can cultivate in their children are patience, safety-consciousness, and vulnerability!

Adolescents believe they are invincible...even behind the wheel of a vehicle. Statistics disprove that belief. Figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 were involved in more than 8,000 or 15 percent of the fatal crashes in 1999. While young people age 15 to 20 make up 6.7 percent of the total driving population, 14 percent of them are involved in all fatal crashes. An astounding 65 percent of teen passenger deaths occur when another teenager is driving. Two out of three teenagers killed are males, according to NHTSA.

Driver error is the single biggest factor in poor driving by youth. (The car does not do things on its own.) Driver error stems from...

• Inexperience
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• Risk Taking
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• Immaturity

Drinking and Driving

Adolescence, for many teens, includes experimenting with alcohol. Many young people come under intense pressure from their peers to participate. Their inexperience with drinking, when coupled with their inexperience as drivers, becomes a deadly combination for large numbers of teens.

Alcohol-related highway crashes are the leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults in the U.S. A recent survey of high school students across the state revealed that two out of three Kansas kids drink alcohol. And 47 percent report attending at least one underage drinking party in the last six months.

Ironically, three-fourths of Kansas teenagers report they know the consequences of underage drinking and nearly two-thirds know of someone who has been involved in an alcohol-related crash. Yet hardly any of them think anything bad will ever happen to them as a result of drinking and driving.

Hill-jumping and Drag Racing

Even without the influence of alcohol, otherwise level-headed young people frequently use poor judgment when they climb behind the wheel of a car. Thrill seeking, competition, peer pressure or a desire to impress friends can lead to behaviors like drag racing and hill-jumping. Inexperience with speed and car handling frequently leads to tragedy.

Tips for Teens

• Wear your seat belt, even if you don't think it's the "cool" thing to do.
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• Obey all traffic signals.
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• Resist the urge to race, hill-jump or otherwise compete with other cars on the road. The consequences aren't worth it.
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• Don't drink and drive.

Certainly teenagers are not the only ones who drink and drive. Unfortunately, many adults who ought to know better drive drunk. Those few threaten us all when they get behind the wheel.

 

THE DRUNK DRIVER

It starts with the first drink. A couple more and you're legally drunk. While gender, body weight, the amount of food in your stomach and the number of drinks consumed all affect your body's ability to process alcohol, the bottom line is it doesn't take much. As few as two or three drinks can make you legally drunk and lethal to yourself and others when you get behind the wheel.

Nationwide, nearly half a million people are injured in alcohol-related crashes each year. More than 15,786 of them die. That's one death every 33 minutes. Statistics show that two out of every five Kansans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash sometime in their life.

According to 2000 Kansas Department of Transportation statistics, 461 people lost their lives on Kansas roadways. Some level of alcohol was reported in 16 percent of those deaths.

In 2000 in Kansas, 2,469 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes. That's more than six persons injured each day.

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

In Kansas it's against the law to drive or attempt to operate a motor vehicle while having a blood or breath alcohol concentration (B.A.C.) of .08 or above. However, drivers can be stopped and arrested when impaired by alcohol or other drugs regardless of their BAC levels. Penalties for violating this law...

First DUI offense:

• 48 consecutive hours of mandatory imprisonment or 100 hours of community service
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• Mandatory completion of an alcohol and drug safety action education program or treatment program
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• Fines from $500 to $1,000, plus court costs and evaluation fees
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• Suspension of driving privileges for 30 days, then restricted for an additional 330 days

Second DUI offense:

• 90 days to one year of imprisonment
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• Fines from $1,000 to $1,500, plus court costs and evaluation fees
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• Suspension of driving privileges for a period of one year and until the offender completes the mandatory treatment program for alcohol and drug abuse
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• After a one-year suspension of driving privileges is completed, the offender is restricted to driving only a motor vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device for one year.

Third DUI offense:

• 90 days to one year of imprisonment
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• Fines from $1,500 to $2,500, plus court costs and evaluation fees
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• Suspension of driving privileges for a period of one year and until the offender completes the mandatory treatment program for alcohol and drug abuse
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• After a one-year suspension of driving privileges is completed, the offender
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• is restricted to driving only a motor vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device for one year.
• Classified as a felony offense

Fourth DUI offense:

• 90 days to one year of imprisonment
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• Fined $2,500 plus court costs and evaluation fees
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• Suspension of driving privileges for a period of one year and until the offender completes the mandatory treatment program for alcohol and drug abuse
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• After a one-year suspension of driving privileges is completed, the offender is restricted to driving only a motor vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device for one year.
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• At the end of the incarceration/work release program the offender will be placed in the custody of the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Corrections. The offender will then be required to complete a mandatory drug/alcohol treatment program. Upon completion of the mandatory
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• treatment program the offender will remain in the custody of the Secretary of Corrections and will be placed on a one-year period of post-release supervision.
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• Classified as a felony offense

Fifth and subsequent offenses:

• 90 days to one year of imprisonment
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• Fined $2,500 plus court costs and evaluation fees
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• Offender's driving privileges will be permanently revoked if there are five or more occurrences within a five-year period.
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• At the end of the incarceration/work release program the offender will be placed in the custody of the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Corrections. The offender will then be required to complete a mandatory drug/alcohol treatment program. Upon completion of the mandatory
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• treatment program the offender will remain in the custody of the Secretary of Corrections and will be placed on a one-year period of post-release supervision.
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• Classified as a felony offense

 

DUI with a child under the age of 14

• Any person convicted of a DUI who has a child under 14 years of age as a passenger shall have the person's punishment enhanced by one month of imprisonment.

Zero Tolerance for Youth

In 1997, the Kansas Legislature passed the "Zero Tolerance" law which makes it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to operate or attempt to operate a motor vehicle with a breath or blood alcohol content of .02 or above.

• First Offense: Driving privileges suspended for 30 days and restricted for 330 days
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• Second and Subsequent Offense: Driving privileges suspended for one year

Underage Drinking or Possession Violation (KSA 41-727)

• The bill requires a 30-day driver's license suspension for a person under the age of 21 who is found to be drinking or in possession of cereal malt beverages or alcoholic liquor. Any person who does not have a driver's license may not apply for one for a 30-day period following conviction.

 

MADD & SADD

MADD stands for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. But, MADD is also dads, young people and others dedicated to developing effective solutions to the drunk driving and underage drinking problems, while supporting those who have already experienced the pain of these senseless crimes.

SADD, Students Against Destructive Decisions, is a school-based organization dedicated to the issues of underage drinking, impaired driving, drug use and other destructive decisions and killers of young people. Formerly known as Students Against Drunk Driving, SADD's mission is to provide students with the best prevention and intervention tools possible to deal with the serious issues young adults are facing today.

You can access these organizations online at

• www.madd.org 
• www.saddonline.com

THE INATTENTIVE DRIVER

Any time we get into a motor vehicle we are putting ourselves at risk. We know that anything from a pothole to a drunken driver could injure or kill us. We always perceive "danger" as coming from "out there," from someone or something else. Seldom do we think that the greatest danger to our safety may actually be ourselves.

You say you always pay attention while driving? Well...let's see. Have you ever talked on your cell phone while driving? Eaten food? Read directions to some place you were trying to go? Blared the radio or tape player? Shaved? Put on make-up? Combed your hair? Bent down to pick something up off the floor? Lit a cigarette? Ridden with a pet on your lap? Dealt with a screaming child in the back seat?

You get the idea.

When driving, your focus needs to be on your driving. A momentary distraction can cause you to run off the road, rear-end a vehicle that has come to a sudden stop, swerve into the next lane...any number of things.

Today, some of our biggest driving distractions include radios, cell phones, fast food, CD-players, children and pets. We take these things for granted, not realizing that even a split-second diversion of our attention can prove disastrous!

Here's a scary statistic: one crash occurs every seven seconds in the United States. By the time you find and answer your cell phone, a crash has occurred somewhere. Make sure it's not you.

Cell Phones

Cell phones are nice conveniences, but they have proved to be the underlying cause of many crashes. An incoming call can divert your attention from the road. "Hands-free" systems are certainly safer, but even these can distract you from the key task at hand-driving.

Fast Food

OK, we all have to eat. But don't eat while driving down the road. Searching for that napkin, trying to open that ketchup container, reaching for a fry...all actions that can divert your attention for a split second. A split second. That's all it takes.

Noise

Driving with your radio, CD or tape player cranked way up can prevent you from hearing sirens from emergency vehicles and the horns of other drivers who may be trying to alert you.

Children and Pets

Dealing with children and/or pets can be extremely distracting, especially if they are crying, fighting, barking and the like. Insist that children be buckled securely in their seat belts (or if under the age of four in their child seat). Separate older children if necessary to keep them from squabbling. Give them a book to read or a game to play if they are going to be in the car for an extended time. In the case of pets, always use a pet carrier. Nothing can be more frightening-or dangerous-than to have a pet suddenly jump in your lap and impede your ability to steer or see.

Smoking

Lighting up or putting out that cigarette can distract you. Flicking hot ashes on yourself is a real hazard. Smoke can irritate your eyes, causing blurred vision. What if you miss the ashtray? Or suppose your lighter flares up too high. If you must smoke while you drive, be especially careful and realize its potential to distract. Also, smoke buildup on windows can distort vision. So if you're a smoker, clean your interior window surfaces frequently.

Loose Articles

An empty pop can on the seat, or under it, seems harmless enough...until you come to a quick stop and these things start rolling around. If something happens to lodge beneath your brake pedal or your gas pedal, it can become a disastrous situation. Check your car before you drive. Remove or secure any loose articles (cans, bottles or books) that could roll around or come flying toward you in the event of a quick stop.

 

THE DROWSY DRIVER

A drowsy driver can be just as dangerous as a drunk driver. It may sound strange, but driving for long periods of time can put you into an altered state of consciousness. Monotony-driving behind the same vehicles, at the same speed for long distances-can lead to road hypnosis, which dulls the senses and makes a driver accident-prone. It can even make you so drowsy you can barely keep your eyes open. This phenomenon can be prevented during longer trips by taking proper measures...

An Ounce of Prevention

• Avoid driving during late night and early morning hours, which are the body's natural sleep times.
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• Set realistic goals about how long it will take to reach your destination.
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• Avoid using alcohol or drugs.
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• Vary your speed.
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• Share the driving, if possible.
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• Switch drivers about every two hours, even if you don't feel tired.
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• Take frequent, short breaks. Stop periodically to stretch.
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• Drink water, juice or a soft drink low in sugar and caffeine. Sugar and caffeine promote short-term alertness but may increase drowsiness over longer periods of time.
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• Keep the inside of your vehicle at a cool temperature.
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• Keep fresh orange rinds next to you. The smell of citrus has been found to help drivers stay alert.
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• Listen to radio talk shows rather than music. The talk format will help keep you engaged and alert. If you must have music, try singing along.

Warning Signs of Drowsy Driving

• Inability to recall the last few miles traveled
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• Having disconnected or wandering thoughts
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• Having difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open
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• Feeling as though your head is very heavy; jerking your head from the brink of falling asleep
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• Drifting into adjacent lanes or off the side of the road
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• Frequent yawning
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• Missing traffic signs

If You Become Too Drowsy To Drive...

• Find a safe place to stop the car, (not on the shoulder).
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• Take a short nap (20 minutes).
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• Drink coffee to promote short-term alertness until you can find a safe place to rest.

 

THE AGGRESSIVE DRIVER

One of the most dangerous types of drivers on the road is the aggressive driver. Governed either by a lack of courtesy and common sense, or by a physical (drugs or alcohol) or emotional situation, this driver puts you in jeopardy.

Unfortunately, most of us have encountered this driver. His or her behavior includes:

• Running stop signs and red lights
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• Speeding, tailgating and weaving between lanes
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• Cutting in front of other drivers
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• Passing on the right shoulder
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• Making inappropriate hand and facial gestures
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• Screaming, honking the horn, and flashing headlights

How To Handle An Aggressive Driver:

• The smartest thing to do is move out of the aggressive driver's way.
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• Do not challenge an aggressive driver by speeding up or attempting to "hold your own" in the travel lane.
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• Avoid eye contact.
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• Ignore gestures and refuse to return them.
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• Report aggressive drivers to the appropriate authorities by providing a vehicle description, license number, location and direction of travel.
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• If you have a cell phone, call the police. In Kansas, you can contact the Highway Patrol by dialing 47 on your cell phone or KTA if you're on the Kansas Turnpike.
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• If an aggressive driver is involved in a crash farther down the road, stop at a safe distance from the scene, wait for police to arrive and report the driving behavior you witnessed earlier.

 

THE MOTORCYCLE DRIVER

Motorcycles are hard to see in traffic. Even when drivers do see them, it's difficult for many to judge how far away motorcycles are or how fast they're moving. Being alert to this perceptual problem can help avoid a tragedy. Nationwide, motorcycles account for only 4 percent of all motor vehicles on the road, yet they're involved in nearly 10 percent of all traffic deaths. Sadly, in many motorcycle crashes, it's the drivers of other vehicles who are at fault. Motorcyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as other drivers. They are entitled to a full-lane on the road. And you should leave ample space between yourself and the cycle when traveling behind a motorcycle.

Also be aware that certain situations can cause special problems for motorcycles: bad weather and wet roads can reduce the rider's control over the motorcycle. High winds can actually blow a motorcycle out of its lane. Sand and gravel in construction zones can also pose a hazard. Be aware of these conditions when you are driving near a motorcycle and make allowances for them.

Drivers turning left in front of oncoming motorcycles cause a big percentage of car/cycle crashes. Drivers often fail to see the cyclist or inaccurately judge the speed of the oncoming cycle. Motorcycles can accelerate much more quickly than a passenger car of truck. A good rule of thumb: look once, then again. Make sure you see the motorcycle and know its speed before you make a left turn.

Something else you should know: turn signals do not turn off automatically on most motorcycles. Before you turn in front of a motorcycle, be sure the rider is turning and not continuing straight into your path with a forgotten turn signal still blinking.

If you are a motorcycle rider:

• Wear a helmet. It's Kansas law for drivers under the age of 18.
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• Wear goggles to protect your eyes. It's the law for all ages.
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• Use your turn signals. All turn signal laws apply to motorcycles.
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• Make sure you have a working headlight and a red taillight.
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• Horns are required to be audible for 200 feet.