Goals for Driver Education
The information in these next articles is taken from a research document: Peräaho, M; Keskinen, E; Hatakka, M. Driver Competence in a Hierarchical Perspective; Implications for Driver Education. University of Turku, Traffic Research. June, 2003. This link will take you to the page on our website where you can download the PDF document: http://www.tri-coachingpartnership.com/reports--research.html. The last article focused on Level 1 – Vehicle Manoeuvring. This article looks at Level 2.
Goals for Driver Education (GDE) – Level 2 Driving in Traffic
Although the levels are qualitatively different from each other and separated in the GDE framework, no single level is independent from the other levels. They are all present in a driving situation, and together they encompass the different components that are present in a driving task. This is the essence of the distinction between what the driver can do, and what the driver is willing to do. The factors and inner models that are located on the highest level are therefore the ones that are most important from a safety point of view. No matter what amount of safety-related knowledge a driver may have, the effect of this knowledge is ultimately dependent upon if and how the driver uses it.
Choices that are made on this second level follow from third level choices and fourth level preconditions. Higher level goals and motives always override skills and considerations on lower levels. Skills are often applied beyond the limits and safety is put aside for other considerations that are perceived more important. Such considerations are for the most part made subconsciously and may be very remote from the actual driving situation. For example, a young male driver who is very enthusiastic about cars and driving, and focuses on these interests as a central way for building up his identity, is likely to select his driving context according to this motivational orientation (a choice on level 4, the highest level). It might also lead to certain qualitative properties of exposure where the driver is looking for opportunities to show off, such as driving at night with friends (level 3). This inevitably affects the demands and selection of inner models for mastering traffic situations (level 2). The strategy might be for example to maintain as high speed as possible in all situations. High speed driving, in turn, increases the strain on the information processing with the risk of overloading the processing capacity and this may in turn lead to misjudgements or other mistakes in traffic situations. High speed also increases the demands on vehicle manoeuvring (level 1). The driver thus selects a certain vehicle manoeuvring style and a driving strategy according to his or her motives or goals; in this case the motive to impress overrides the motive to drive safely. Another example could be a driver with a safety-oriented strategy and a neutral approach to driving. This kind of motivation is likely to lead to moderate speed and perhaps even to a decision not to drive. If a driver feels worried about his or her skills for coping with difficult road conditions, is willing to maximise safety, and has no self-enhancing ambitions connected with driving, a safe way of operation is easily adopted. This leads to a less demanding driving task at the lower levels of the hierarchy and the trip will most likely be safe, even though the absolute skill level in manoeuvring, for example, may not be perfect.
Because behaviour on the lower levels is under guidance of higher-level goals and motives the higher levels should also be addressed at an early stage so that learning (as well as feedback) on all levels complement and support each other.
Focus on the second level is on competence that has to do with driving in certain traffic situations, in different conditions, and amidst other road users. A driver must be able to anticipate and adjust their driving in accordance with the constant changes in traffic. Knowledge of traffic rules, speed adjustment, observation, risk perception, and interaction with other road users are included at this level. The skills learned on the level 1 (vehicle manoeuvring) are now applied in practice. The concept of speed is extended to cover appropriate use of speed, gear changing is trained in various situations, and the car is kept under control on different road surfaces and in different driving conditions. Mastery of traffic situations is a challenge for driver education in much the same way as vehicle manoeuvring in general. The driver has to adapt his or her individual behaviour to the behaviour of other road-users and to the traffic environment. It follows that he or she must not only be able to perceive and predict what other road users will do, but also make his or her own behaviour predictable to them. Knowledge of traffic rules and behaving according to them is one important part of the skills on this level.
Goals for Driver Education (GDE) – Level 2 Driving in Traffic
Although the levels are qualitatively different from each other and separated in the GDE framework, no single level is independent from the other levels. They are all present in a driving situation, and together they encompass the different components that are present in a driving task. This is the essence of the distinction between what the driver can do, and what the driver is willing to do. The factors and inner models that are located on the highest level are therefore the ones that are most important from a safety point of view. No matter what amount of safety-related knowledge a driver may have, the effect of this knowledge is ultimately dependent upon if and how the driver uses it.
Choices that are made on this second level follow from third level choices and fourth level preconditions. Higher level goals and motives always override skills and considerations on lower levels. Skills are often applied beyond the limits and safety is put aside for other considerations that are perceived more important. Such considerations are for the most part made subconsciously and may be very remote from the actual driving situation. For example, a young male driver who is very enthusiastic about cars and driving, and focuses on these interests as a central way for building up his identity, is likely to select his driving context according to this motivational orientation (a choice on level 4, the highest level). It might also lead to certain qualitative properties of exposure where the driver is looking for opportunities to show off, such as driving at night with friends (level 3). This inevitably affects the demands and selection of inner models for mastering traffic situations (level 2). The strategy might be for example to maintain as high speed as possible in all situations. High speed driving, in turn, increases the strain on the information processing with the risk of overloading the processing capacity and this may in turn lead to misjudgements or other mistakes in traffic situations. High speed also increases the demands on vehicle manoeuvring (level 1). The driver thus selects a certain vehicle manoeuvring style and a driving strategy according to his or her motives or goals; in this case the motive to impress overrides the motive to drive safely. Another example could be a driver with a safety-oriented strategy and a neutral approach to driving. This kind of motivation is likely to lead to moderate speed and perhaps even to a decision not to drive. If a driver feels worried about his or her skills for coping with difficult road conditions, is willing to maximise safety, and has no self-enhancing ambitions connected with driving, a safe way of operation is easily adopted. This leads to a less demanding driving task at the lower levels of the hierarchy and the trip will most likely be safe, even though the absolute skill level in manoeuvring, for example, may not be perfect.
Because behaviour on the lower levels is under guidance of higher-level goals and motives the higher levels should also be addressed at an early stage so that learning (as well as feedback) on all levels complement and support each other.
Focus on the second level is on competence that has to do with driving in certain traffic situations, in different conditions, and amidst other road users. A driver must be able to anticipate and adjust their driving in accordance with the constant changes in traffic. Knowledge of traffic rules, speed adjustment, observation, risk perception, and interaction with other road users are included at this level. The skills learned on the level 1 (vehicle manoeuvring) are now applied in practice. The concept of speed is extended to cover appropriate use of speed, gear changing is trained in various situations, and the car is kept under control on different road surfaces and in different driving conditions. Mastery of traffic situations is a challenge for driver education in much the same way as vehicle manoeuvring in general. The driver has to adapt his or her individual behaviour to the behaviour of other road-users and to the traffic environment. It follows that he or she must not only be able to perceive and predict what other road users will do, but also make his or her own behaviour predictable to them. Knowledge of traffic rules and behaving according to them is one important part of the skills on this level.
Knowledge and skills
• Appropriate use of vehicle controls in varying situations
• Speed adjustment
• Driving path
• Driving routine
• Distance to others, safety margins in all directions
• Knowledge of traffic rules and ability to apply them
• Anticipating the behaviour of other users
• Interacting (negotiating) with other road users
• Making one's own behaviour known and obvious to others (e.g. clear signalling)
• Anticipating (foreseeing) the development of situations
• Anticipating the demands of the environment (road conditions, weather)
• Adaptation, flexibility (e.g. giving up one's right of way due to others' mistakes)
• Environmentally friendly driving.
Interaction with other road users is perhaps the key component in the skills on this second level. This includes not only communication, but also anticipation of the actions of others and adapting one's driving accordingly in advance. This connects to being able to avoid conflicts instead of relying on vehicle handling skills to solve conflicts. Training in real traffic situations obviously follows hand in hand and is more or less simultaneous with training in vehicle handling and manoeuvring. The complexity of the traffic situations that the learner is allowed to encounter is therefore dependent on the level of skill acquired in basic vehicle handling.
Risk increasing factors connected to mastery of traffic situations include:
• Poor weather conditions (darkness, rain, snow, slippery)
• Poor road surface conditions
• Overtaking
• Visibility
• Behaviour of other road users
• Insufficient safety margins
• Insufficient automatism or skill
• Vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, children)
• Poor hazard perception
• Poor observation / scanning technique
• Wrong expectations (misunderstanding of situation, incorrect manoeuvring)
• Information overload
• Insufficient knowledge of typical accident scenarios
• A risky driving style (unsuitable speed, insufficient safety-margins, wrong positioning, lack of communication, non-compliance with rules)
• Overconfidence / under-confidence
• Lack of routine.
My next article will focus on Level 3 of the GDE.
• Appropriate use of vehicle controls in varying situations
• Speed adjustment
• Driving path
• Driving routine
• Distance to others, safety margins in all directions
• Knowledge of traffic rules and ability to apply them
• Anticipating the behaviour of other users
• Interacting (negotiating) with other road users
• Making one's own behaviour known and obvious to others (e.g. clear signalling)
• Anticipating (foreseeing) the development of situations
• Anticipating the demands of the environment (road conditions, weather)
• Adaptation, flexibility (e.g. giving up one's right of way due to others' mistakes)
• Environmentally friendly driving.
Interaction with other road users is perhaps the key component in the skills on this second level. This includes not only communication, but also anticipation of the actions of others and adapting one's driving accordingly in advance. This connects to being able to avoid conflicts instead of relying on vehicle handling skills to solve conflicts. Training in real traffic situations obviously follows hand in hand and is more or less simultaneous with training in vehicle handling and manoeuvring. The complexity of the traffic situations that the learner is allowed to encounter is therefore dependent on the level of skill acquired in basic vehicle handling.
Risk increasing factors connected to mastery of traffic situations include:
• Poor weather conditions (darkness, rain, snow, slippery)
• Poor road surface conditions
• Overtaking
• Visibility
• Behaviour of other road users
• Insufficient safety margins
• Insufficient automatism or skill
• Vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, children)
• Poor hazard perception
• Poor observation / scanning technique
• Wrong expectations (misunderstanding of situation, incorrect manoeuvring)
• Information overload
• Insufficient knowledge of typical accident scenarios
• A risky driving style (unsuitable speed, insufficient safety-margins, wrong positioning, lack of communication, non-compliance with rules)
• Overconfidence / under-confidence
• Lack of routine.
My next article will focus on Level 3 of the GDE.
