CRISIS CONDITIONING-NEW APPROACH TO DRIVER TRAINING
DRIVERS ARE NOW BEGINNING TO LEARN HOW TO HANDLE HIGHWAY PANIC SITUATIONS DUE TO A MOVE UNDER WAY TO PUT CRISIS CONDITIONING INTO DRIVER TRAINING. PROGRAMMED SKIDS AND BLOWOUTS TRAIN DRIVERS TO MANEUVER OUT OF ACCIDENTS. A SKID SCHOOL WAS VISITED AND WET-PAVEMENT SKIDDING SEEMS A SIGNIFICANT BREAKTHROUGH FOR ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE. TWO PRINCIPAL TECHNIQUES ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT FOR CONDITIONING DRIVERS IN CRISIS SITUATIONS: (1) PUTTING THEM BEHIND THE WHEELS OF ACTUAL CARS ON SKID PANS AND DRIVING RANGES, AND (2) PUTTING THEM IN DRIVING SIMULATORS BUILT TO REALISTICALLY RECREATE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY BUREAU'S STANDARD FOR STATE PROGRAMS CALLS FOR HANDLING EMERGENCIES. SKID SCHOOL TRAINEES FIRST ATTEND A 45-MINUTE CLASS WHERE THEY GET A DISTILLATION OF FINDINGS ON THE CHARACTERISTICS AND COUNTERMEASURES FOR FRONT WHEEL SKIDS, ALL WHEEL SKIDS, POWER SKIDS, SPINOUTS AND HYDROPLANING. THEN THE TRAINEES TRY THE FIRST THREE. THEY LEARN AND PRACTICE THE BRAKE-STABBING TECHNIQUE WHICH ALLOWS THE QUICKEST STOPS ON SLICK PAVEMENT WHILE MAINTAINING STEERING. THE FACILITY BUILT AT WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI, IS DESCRIBED THAT BOASTS A DRIVING RANGE WITH AREAS FOR BEGINNING DRIVERS, A SKID PAN AND AN EXPRESSWAY WHERE ADVANCED STUDENTS CAN LEARN NOT ONLY PORPER ENTRANCE AND EXIT TECHNIQUES, BUT HANDLING OF STAGED EMERGENCIES. ADVANCED SIMULATORS SHOW A ROAD SITUATION ON A SCREEN AND GIVE APPROPRIATE SIGHTS, FEELINGS AND SOUNDS ACCORDING TO HOW THEY ARE DRIVEN. AN ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED, HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED EQUIPMENT IS PICTURED THAT IMPARTS PITCH AND ROLL TO THE SIMULATORS. MANEUVERS THAT CANNOT BE INGRAINED IN DRIVERS BEHIND THE WHEELS OF REAL CARS CAN BE CONDITIONED IN SPECIALLY BUILT AUTO SIMULATORS. A 31-ACRE DRIVING RANGE IS PLANNED BY KENOSHA TECHNICAL INSTITUTE AT KENOSHA, WISCONSIN. INCLUDED ARE EVERY IMAGINABLE ROADWAY- GRAVEL, SHARP CURVES, EXPRESSWAY - SPICED WITH SUCH UNEXPECTED OBSTACLES AS POP-UP PEDESTRIANS AND CARS THAT SUDDENLY LOOM OUT OF HIDDEN SIDE ROADS. THE NEW TREND TOWARD REALISTIC TRAINING OFFERS THE POSSIBILITY OF CRISIS CONDITIONING UNDER SAFE CIRCUMSTANCES.
-
Supplemental Notes:
- Vol 45, No 4, PP 15-19, 6 PHOT
- Publication Date: 1969-9
Media Info
- Serial:
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Blowouts; Braking; Driver training; Driving simulators; Hazards; Moisture content; Prevention; Safety; Skids
- Uncontrolled Terms: Wet conditions
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00223072
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Dec 22 1994 12:00AM