Behind the Wheel - March 7, 2007

[skidmark]

Aggressive Driving!

A good definition of an aggressive driver is "an individual committing a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property." Do you fit this definition? A paper on the subject that I read recently states that the answer to this question is most likely "no."

The paper suggested that the problem with regulating aggressive driving is that behavior defined as aggressive by law is considered normal by everyday drivers. A survey found that 50 percent of drivers surveyed felt that speeding up for a yellow light was not aggressive behavior. In addition, 53 percent of these drivers felt blocking the passing lane was not aggressive and 36 percent did not consider tailgating aggressive.

Watch the vehicles around you the next time you are on a busy highway. Chances are, you will soon see drivers who need to go faster than everyone else. They end up tailgating the vehicle in front and when it doesn't move, make sudden lane changes to go around, often without signaling. These drivers in my experience are not just young males, but run the gamut from young to old and are both men and women.

Do these drivers realize what they are doing? I think some do and don't care, but the majority are just in a hurry and don't consider the possible consequences of their actions. They've done it before and nothing bad resulted, so it is easier to continue or escalate the behaviour. Unfortunately, waiting until something does happen is not the way to find out you've gone too far.

So, the next time you are in a hurry and find yourself cursing the slug ahead of you who is only 5 over the limit and won't get out of the way, even with you riding only a few feet off their back bumper, take a good look at yourself in the rearview mirror. Think of all you will gain by doing this and compare it to all that you may lose if today is the day you go just a bit too far. You might even find yourself among the few in the right hand lane doing the speed limit.

Reference Links (http://www.drivesmartbc.ca/current.htm)

[MonkeyWrench]

but if the guy would just learn to look in his mirror and move out the way or pass the car he is just sitting beside, traffic would just flow smother

[matt]

Yes, too many unaware drivers. Traffic would flow a lot smoother and be safer for all if everyone was just more aware of things around them and not just in front.

[Dizzle]

i like how if you hit the brakes on the number one in rush hour and pull over immediatly, you can watch traffic backup from that exact point for the rest of rush hour. it's rediculous.

[Jessev]

but if the guy would just learn to look in his mirror and move out the way or pass the car he is just sitting beside, traffic would just flow smother

one day i will educate the world of the fucking difference between a SLOW lane and a PASSING lane. theres no fast lane, and 10 over is NOT fast

[Dizzle]

while you educate on that, please educate on how TO FUCKING MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY

[Jessev]

while you educate on that, please educate on how TO FUCKING MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY

imagine annual, mandatory traffic school? and if you dont pass a test at the end, everybody pees on your face then you die

[Dizzle]

how about just traffic school?

[skidmark]

I'm with you there. In fact, a while back I made this suggestion:

A Proposal for Driver Education

Executive Summary:

Many of B.C.’s current drivers have no formal driver education. This does not create a problem by itself, but when the informal education is not sufficiently comprehensive drivers are not fully prepared to navigate our highways safely and to discharge their duties to themselves and other road users.

Outside of the Graduated Licensing Program, there is little or no incentive for drivers to increase their knowledge or refine their driving skills.

“E” Division Traffic Services has recognized the part that education plays in meeting the goals of traffic safety by requiring Traffic Services Units to participate in driver education programs.

The goal of this proposal is to give B.C. drivers an opportunity to exchange a hazardous moving violation ticket for formal driver training. Once each year a driver will be encouraged to spend the ticketed amount on themselves at a driving school in exchange for having the violation ticket withdrawn. For drivers that are receptive to this offer, it is anticipated that they will learn a new skill that may ultimately reduce collisions on our highways.

It is proposed that this program operate for a period of six months in the area served by Island District Traffic Services. The program will be administered by members of the units themselves and will require minimal expense in terms of both time and funding. If there is a demonstrable benefit, the program could continue and possibly expand to the balance of the province.

This may also be a good way for traffic services to show the public that our main focus is not solely enforcement, but that we have a stake in taking advantage of what the public may see as a beneficial method to increase compliance with the traffic laws.

Statement of Need

I.C.B.C. has recognized the value of driver training by incorporating it in the Graduated Licensing Program and providing an incentive for new drivers to take advantage of that training.

I.C.B.C. does not maintain any record of driver training taken by drivers who are not part of the Graduated Licensing Program, but it is clear from years of officer/violator contact at the roadside that a large number of B.C. drivers have significant gaps in their knowledge of the traffic rules.
A study conducted by Dr. Michael Finigan in 1995 of the benefits of Traffic Schools conducted in Santa Clara County, California shows that there is a benefit to drivers who are allowed to exchange a traffic ticket for driving training.

Dr. Donald A Redelmeier has established that traffic ticket convictions coupled with driver education is an effective way to reduce fatal traffic crashes. This study was conducted on drivers licensed in Ontario and was published in The Lancet during 2003.

A popular contemporary attitude among some drivers in our patrol district is that traffic enforcement is present solely as a method of raising funds for Provincial Government coffers.

The relatively simple project outlined in this proposal may be able to combine the benefits of formal driver training in the reduction of violations and collisions with a positive police driven alternative to the Violation Ticket. A form of penalty still exists, but the driver may choose between spending the ticketed amount toward the General Revenue fund or toward their own self improvement.

Project Description

Objectives:

1) To improve the knowledge and skills of drivers in the Island District Traffic Services patrol area.

2) To help meet the goals of Road Safety Vision 2010 with regard to collision reduction.

3) To fulfill the goals of “E” Division Traffic Services by taking part in a program that supports driver education.

4) To establish a positive public perception that enforcement is not the only goal of Island District Traffic Services.


Methods:

During the course of normal enforcement activities the members of Island District Traffic Services issue violation tickets to drivers committing hazardous moving violations. Each time this occurs the member will also present the driver with an invitation to participate in this program. The invitation will not be given to drivers who receive a violation ticket for a non-hazardous moving violation ticket or a notice & order.

The invitation will advise the driver that he or she has 24 hours from the issuance of the violation ticket to announce their intention to participate in the program. They will do so by telephone notification to the Island District Traffic Services unit of the member that issued the violation ticket.

[skidmark]

Part II, the response was too long for the forum message size limit!!

The driver will then have 30 days to arrange for and attend to a driving school to undertake training valued of at least the ticketed amount shown on the violation ticket.

Once the training has been completed, the driver will obtain a written receipt from the driving school that contains the identification of the person that was trained by the school. This receipt is to be presented to the unit involved to show that the driver has complied with the requirements of the program.

If the driver completes all requirements of this program, the violation ticket issued in the first instance will be withdrawn. Should the driver fail to comply or enter a dispute to the violation or penalty, the ticket will be processed in the normal manner.

This program will only be available to a driver once in a one year period.

Administration:

On receipt of notification of participation by a driver, a PIRS check will be made to see if that driver has participated in the program within one year’s time. If so, the driver will be advised the ticket does not qualify and that it must be dealt with in the normal fashion.

If the PIRS check is negative for program participation an investigational file will be opened to track compliance and show driver involvement. The file will be diary dated to the member who issued the ticket for follow up.

The file will be entered as an educational activity for the member on TSMIT.

When the required receipt is presented, the member will destroy the ICBC copy of the violation ticket and conclude the file.

If the 30 day diary date passes, the member will inquire with the driver to check on progress. If the driver has failed to take the necessary steps to participate the member will forward the ICBC copy of the ticket and conclude the file. If an unforeseen circumstance occurs such as illness on the part of the driver or inability of the driving schools to provide instruction within the 30 day period, the member may extend the diary date at their discretion.

Evaluation:

At the end of the six month trial period evaluation of the program will be made.

The evaluation will include:

1) Comments of members of Island District Traffic Services on the workload involved and their perception of the value of the program.

2) A random survey of participants to learn what benefits and drawbacks that they experienced.

3) A survey of driving school instructors to determine the common deficits in driving skill presented by the participants and their attitude toward taking the training and their perception of the value of the training.

4) The level of driver participation as reflected by TSMIT.

5) Were the objectives of Road Safety Vision 2010 met and did this program contribute to those objectives.

Sustainability:

At the end of the six month evaluation period a determination will be made with regard to the perceived benefits of the program versus the cost in time and administration resources required to run the program.

The choices that may be made depending on the outcome of the trial period include:

1) Discontinuing the program entirely.

2) Continuing with the program only on a local basis.

3) Operating the program for limited periods based on unit requirements.

4) Expanding the program on a provincial basis operated by “E” Division Traffic Services units as they see fit.

5) Attempting to persuade ICBC to take over and administer the project based on its merits.

Budget

Expense Budget:

The initial expense for the program would be the creation and printing of the invitations to participate given to the drivers at roadside. This could be done using word processing tools and duplicated at minor expense using photocopy equipment.

It is more difficult to anticipate is the cost of time to administer the trial as it is not possible to estimate how many drivers will choose to participate in the program. Since this time will not be in addition to the regular duties of the members, it will not appear as an extra cost.

The only other anticipated cost is office stationary that is normally used in creation and maintaining the files associated with tracking each participant.

In short, the cost of the trial is expected to be negligible in comparison to our overall budget.

Conclusion

The outcome of this program could have significant consequences. If a participating driver develops a new skill that helps them to avoid a crash in the future, the time spent to administer the trial will have been well used. This dividend could significantly outweigh the cost to operate the program.

The direction of the program fits well with the aims of the R.C.M.P. in general and “E” Division Traffic Services specifically.

The public perception of the program is anticipated to be positive and should enhance the image of traffic law enforcement as a constructive endeavour rather than a strictly punitive one.

I managed to sell RCMP traffic services on it, but provincial Crown Counsel turned thumbs down on the idea, and that was the end of it.

I tried it just before I retired thinking "what are they going to do, fire me?" Since this post is probably already too long, I'll just say that the guy learned from it, changed his mind about screaming at me over a speeding ticket and I still think it is a good idea.

[Dizzle]

I remember reading about that back in the day on revscene.

I would support that.