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Forensic Aspects of Driver Inexperience & Accident Causation - Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company, Inc.

Forensic Aspects of Driver Inexperience & Accident Causation

$ 139.00

  • Author: Scott Walmsley
  • ISBN 10: 1-933264-62-4
  • ISBN 13: 978-1933264-62-2
  • Copyright Date Ed:  August 1, 2011
  • Pages: 622
  • Binding Information: Casebound
  • Size: 8 1/2 ✕ 11 Inches (US)

According to a recent NHTSA study, the 16-20 year old age group accounts for the most injury, property damage, and fatal crashes per driver. To understand why inexperienced drivers are responsible for a significantly disproportionate percentage of collisions, a detailed examination and analysis of multiple traffic scenarios, driving tasks, human behaviors, perceptions and environmental conditions is required.

Forensic Aspects of Driver Inexperience and Accident Causation draws upon the extensive experience of author Scott Walmsley, who as a certified traffic safety educator has conducted over 17,000 on-street instructional sessions with approximately 3,200 new drivers over a period of 16 years. From this extensive experience, Walmsley accurately details the connection between inexperience and collisions. As a certified trainer of instructors, Walmsley is fully accredited by the Washington State Department of Licensing to teach other traffic safety educators how to effectively instruct students in defensive driving techniques, proper visual practices, evasive maneuvers and decisive vehicle control skills.

Walmsley details over 50 skill deficiencies common among inexperienced drivers that increase collision probability, describing how these affect perceptions, judgments, behaviors, reactions, decisions, and actions. From this information, the reader learns how particular skill deficiencies associated with inexperience combine with specific traffic scenarios and result in critical driving errors. All of these errors occurred with frequency and predictability across the range of inexperienced drivers, giving the reader insight into the human factors that are statistically common among inexperienced drivers.

This book also discusses the emotional and perceptual factors involved in errors among inexperienced drivers. Fear, impatience, aggressiveness, and a sense of entitlement can supplant the logical thought process, thereby increasing errors. Perceptual errors, such as an inability to judge closure rates or gaps in traffic, also lead to specific miscalculations in younger or inexperienced drivers. Most importantly, this book discusses how new drivers can remedy these deficiencies and prevent specific collisions.

This highly original book is equally useful to legal professionals, accident reconstructionists, insurance professionals, and driver education instructors, among others. It is a crucial reference text for anyone involved in any capacity with younger or inexperienced drivers, and the crashes that might result from this group. Get your copy today!

This book is also available as an eBook. Click here to purchase and download:

Book topics include:

  • Task Execution Process
  • Fifty-Two Skill Deficiencies of Driver Inexperience
  • Unprotected Left Turn Collisions
  • Head-On Collisions
  • Crossing the Centerline
  • Entering Arterials from Stops
  • Collisions Occurring While Entering Traffic from a Curb
  • Collisions Occurring on Approach to Intersections Prior to Turns
  • Collisions Involving Loss of Vehicle Control on Turns
  • Curve-induced Collisions
  • Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions
  • Uncontrolled Intersection Collisions
  • Vehicle-Bicycle Collisions
  • Vehicle-Motorcycle Collisions
  • Lane Change Collisions
  • Merging Collisions
  • Right Turn on Red Collisions
  • Left Turn on Red Collisions
  • Collisions Occurring During Multiple Lane Turns
  • Collisions at All Way Stops
  • Rear End Collisions

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Task Execution Process

Chapter 2: Fifty-Two Skill Deficiencies of Driver Inexperience

Chapter 3A: Unprotected Left Turns: Confusing Protected and Unprotected Left Turns

Chapter 3B: Unprotected Left Turns: Misjudging the Rate of Closure of Approaching Vehicles

Chapter 3C: Unprotected Left Turns: Hitting a Pedestrian in the Left Crosswalk

Chapter 3D: Unprotected Left Turns: Colliding with an Approaching Vehicle from Oncoming Lane 2 while Turning Left Simultaneously with an Opposing Vehicle

Chapter 3E: Unprotected Left Turns: Collision with an Approaching Vehicle from Oncoming Lane 2 with an Opposing Vehicle Obstructing the Sight Line (Blind Unprotected Left Turns)

Chapter 3F: Collision with a Vehicle Making a Right Turn from the Opposing Side of the Intersection

Chapter 3G: Unprotected Left Turns: Failure to Perceive a Vehicle Entering the Body of Oncoming Traffic from an Intersection, Driveway or Curb

Chapter 3H: Unprotected Left Turns: Reacting Incorrectly to a Multi-phase Traffic Signal

Chapter 3I: Unprotected Left Turns: Concluding an Unprotected Left Turn on the Yellow Phase of the Traffic Signal with Oncoming Vehicles Approaching the Intersection

Chapter 3J: Unprotected Left Turns: Holding Improperly Far into the Intersection

Chapter 3K: Unprotected Left Turns: Commencing an Unprotected Left Turn with Insufficient Space in the Destination Lane

Chapter 3L: Unprotected Left Turns: Errantly Executing an Unprotected Left Turn Concurrently with the Forward-Positioned Vehicle

Chapter 3M: Unprotected Left Turns: Commencing an Unprotected Left Turn as the First Opposing Oncoming Vehicle is Stopped

Chapter 4A: Head-On Collisions: Crossing the Centerline as a Result of Incorrect Lane Positioning

Chapter 4B: Head-On Collisions: Failure to Maintain Lane Position During Evasive Maneuvers

Chapter 4C: Head-On Collisions: Crossing the Centerline as a Result of Divergent Errors

Chapter 4D: Head-On Collisions: Collisions Occurring While Passing

Chapter 4E: Head-On Collisions: Collisions Occurring While Entering Traffic from a Stop

Chapter 4F: Head-On Collisions: Collisions Occurring During Left Turns

Chapter 4G: Head-On Collisions: Collisions Transpiring in the Two-Way Left Turn Lane

Chapter 5A: Entering Arterials from Stops: Collisions with Approaching Lateral Vehicles When Entering a Traffic Flow from a Stop (Right Turns)

Chapter 5B: Entering Arterials from Stops: Diverting into Opposing Vehicles when Entering a Traffic Flow from a Stop (Right Turns)

Chapter 5C: Entering Arterials From Stops: Collisions With Vehicles Within The Body Of Cross Traffic (Left Turns Or Advancing Straight)

Chapter 6A: Collisions Occurring While Entering Traffic from a Curb: Colliding with a Vehicle in the Destination Lane

Chapter 6B: Collisions Occurring While Entering Traffic from a Curb: Crossing into Opposing Traffic Resulting in a Head-On Collision

Chapter 7A: Collisions Occurring on Approach to Intersections Prior to Turns: Turning from the Incorrect Lane

Chapter 7B: Collisions Occurring on Approach to Intersections Prior to Turns: Attempting to Enter the Turn Lane at a Hazardous Juncture

Chapter 8A: Collisions Involving Loss of Vehicle Control on Turns: Head-On Collision Due to Crossing of Centerline on Right Turn

Chapter 8B: Collisions Involving Loss of Vehicle Control on Turns: Vehicle Diverts off Road to Right (Right Turn)

Chapter 8C: Collisions Involving Loss of Vehicle Control on Turns: Steering into the Opposing Direction of Traffic on a Left Turn

Chapter 9A: Curve-induced Collisions: Diverting Out of Lane at the Curve Apex (Over Centerline or Running off Road)

Chapter 9B: Curve-induced Collisions: Diverting Out of the Lane at Curve Exit (Over Centerline or Running Off Road)

Chapter 9C: Curve-induced Collisions: Crossing Centerline/Diverting Off the Roadway on Consecutive Transversal Curves

Chapter 9D: Curve-induced Collisions: Vehicle Rollover

Chapter 10A: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians on the Approach to Stops

Chapter 10B: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians While Entering Traffic from a Stop

Chapter 10C: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians in Crosswalk (Where No Stop Sign or Traffic Signal is Present)

Chapter 10D: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Incidences Occurring While Reversing

Chapter 10E: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians in Parking Lots and Open Areas

Chapter 10F: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians in the Right Crosswalk While Exiting Traffic (Right Turns with No Stop Sign or Red Traffic Signal)

Chapter 10G: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians on Residential Streets (Or Similar Areas) Subsequent to Exiting an Arterial

Chapter 10H: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians at All Way Stops

Chapter 10I: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians While Entering Traffic from a Curb

Chapter 10J: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians Who are Entering/Exiting Vehicles Parked at a Curb

Chapter 10K: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians on Blind Curves

Chapter 10L: Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians in the Left Crosswalk During a Protected Left Turn

Chapter 11A: Uncontrolled Intersection Collisions: Side Impact Collisions

Chapter 11B: Uncontrolled Intersection Collisions: Head-On Collisions Resulting from Incorrect Travel Path Execution During Left Turns

Chapter 11C: Uncontrolled Intersection Collisions: Head-On Collisions Resulting from Incorrect Travel Path Execution During Right Turns

Chapter 12A: Vehicle-Bicycle Collisions: Hitting a Through Rider by a Vehicle Making a Right Turn

Chapter 12B: Vehicle-Bicycle Collisions: Hitting a Cyclist in the Process of Overtaking

Chapter 12C: Vehicle-Bicycle Collisions: Hitting a Cyclist from the Rear

Chapter 12D: Vehicle-Bicycle Collisions: Hitting a Cyclist While Executing an Unprotected Left Turn

Chapter 12E: Vehicle-Bicycle Collisions: Hitting a Cyclist While Entering Traffic from a Curb

Chapter 13A: Vehicle-Motorcycle Collisions: Hitting a Motorcyclist During a Lane Change

Chapter 13B: Vehicle-Motorcycle Collisions: Hitting a Motorcyclist While Executing an Unprotected Left Turn

Chapter 13C: Vehicle-Motorcycle Collisions: Hitting a Motorcyclist from the Rear

Chapter 14A: Lane Change Collisions: Colliding with a Vehicle in the Destination Lane

Chapter 14B: Lane Change Collisions: Colliding with the Forward-Positioned Vehicle in the Destination Lane

Chapter 14C: Lane Change Collisions: Crossing the Centerline/Diverting Off the Roadway

Chapter 14D: Lane Change Collisions: Colliding with a Vehicle Entering the Destination Lane from Two Lanes Distant (Two Vehicles Converging into a Common Center Lane)

Chapter 14E: Lane Change Collisions: Collisions Resulting from Changes Across Multiple Lanes

Chapter 15A: Merging Collisions: Collisions with Vehicles in the Destination Lane

Chapter 15B: Merging Collisions: Colliding with the Forward-Positioned Vehicle After Merging into the Destination Lane

Chapter 15C: Merging Collisions: Collisions with Vehicles Accelerating from a Ramp Meter

Chapter 15D: Merging Collisions: Merging to an Entrance Ramp from a Ramp Meter

Chapter 15E: Merging Collisions: Entering into the Left Lane of a Freeway

Chapter 15F: Merging Collisions: Merges which Require Crossing Multiple Lanes

Chapter 16A: Right Turn On Red Collisions: Collision with an Opposing Left Turning Vehicle

Chapter 16B: Right Turn on Red Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians in the Right Crosswalk

Chapter 16C: Right Turn on Red Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians in the Forward Crosswalk

Chapter 17A: Left Turn on Red Collisions: Collisions with Oncoming Vehicles When the Traffic Signal Changes to the Green Phase

Chapter 17B: Left Turn on Red Collisions: Hitting Pedestrians in the Left Crosswalk

Chapter 18A: Collisions Occurring During Multiple Lane Turns: Errantly Diverting to the Outside Lane (When Turning from the Inside Lane)

Chapter 18B: Collisions Occurring During Multiple Lane Turns: Diverting into the Inside Lane (When Turning from the Outside Lane)

Chapter 19A: Collisions at All Way Stops: Collisions with Lateral Traveling Vehicles

Chapter 19B: Collisions at All Way Stops: Colliding with an Opposing Left Turning Vehicle that Arrived at the Intersection First

Chapter 20: Rear End Collisions

About the Author

Index

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Joseph E. Badger
Contact, the newsletter of The Institute of Traffic Accident

Lets see. In 1996, Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company released Forensic Aspects of Driver Perception and Response by Paul Olson (3rd Edition, 2010) and Forensic Aspects of Vision and Highway Safety by Merrill Allen (3rd Edition, 2008). Now just off the L&J presses August 1, 2011 comes Forensic Aspects of Driver Inexperience and Accident Causation by Scott Walmsley. The first two items were penned by vision gurus, a Ph.D. in Industrial Psychology and a Professor Emeritus at Indiana Universitys School of Optometry. This new 614-page tome, by Scott Walmsley is not so much about vision or nighttime driving, but rather the author details over 50 skill deficiencies common among inexperienced drivers that increase collision probability, describing how these affect perceptions, judgments, behaviors, reactions, decisions, and actions. From this information, the reader learns how particular skill deficiencies associated with inexperience combine with specific traffic scenarios and result in critical driving errors. All of these errors occurred with frequency and predictability across the range of inexperienced drivers, giving the reader insight into the human factors that are statistically common among inexperienced drivers. Mr. Walmsley began writing the book in the autumn of 2005 and completed it five years later; however, the data collection process began 10 years earlier. I asked Scott why he wrote the book in the first place. I wrote the book to address many of the common misconceptions about why novice drivers are involved in a disproportionate percentage of collisions. I wanted to provide the most accurate, detailed and extensive information based on how inexperienced drivers perform in actual traffic situations as opposed to simulated environments. I found a number of neat facets of Walmsleys book; for one, he does not have page after page of voluminous continuous text. Although there are 20 chapters, most are subdivided as in Chapter 10A, Chapter 10B, Chapter 10C and so on. Moreover, the author subdivided each chapter into quick, easy-to-read one-to-three paragraphs. This is great for those with short attention spans who read books saying, Come on, lets go." Forensic Aspects of Driver Inexperience and Accident Causation topics include: Task Execution Process Fifty-Two Skill Deficiencies of Driver Inexperience Unprotected Left Turn Collisions Head-On Collisions Crossing the Centerline Entering Arterials from Stops Collisions Occurring While Entering Traffic from a Curb Collisions Occurring on Approach to Intersections Prior to Turns Collisions Involving Loss of Vehicle Control on Turns Curve-induced Collisions Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions Uncontrolled Intersection Collisions Vehicle-Bicycle Collisions Vehicle-Motorcycle Collisions Lane Change Collisions Merging Collisions Right Turn on Red Collisions Left Turn on Red Collisions Collisions Occurring During Multiple Lane Turns Collisions at All Way Stops Rear End Collisions He saved what in my opinion is his best chapter, Rear End Collisions, for last. In this chapter, as others, he discusses, in detail, numerous errors committed by drivers. Such errors include: Insufficient Following Distance; Failure to Increase Following Distance in Reaction to a Vehicle Entering the Lane of Travel; Failure to Conform to Changing Traffic Flow Speeds Within the Required Distance; Inability to Stop the Vehicle in a Sufficiently Short Distance; Failing to React to a Vehicle Entering the Travel Lane from a Stop; Failing to Stop a Sufficient Length Back from the Lead Vehicle; and Not Anticipating the Lead Vehicle Stopping When Entering Traffic from a Stop. And more. The nice part about all those Errors, is that Mr. Walmsley presents solutions, that is, how to prevent such errors while driving. He offers methods for instructing student drivers and those already licensed but inexperienced drivers. (Even veteran motorists who have been driving for years will benefit by the suggestions.) I particularly liked Error 12 in the final chapter: Errantly Assuming that the Forward Vehicle Should or Will Accelerate. This I am sure will be a more prevalent problem when the forward vehicles driver is on a cell phone and fails to move when the light goes green. What are some of the problems of newbie motorists? In an email to me, Walmsley said, Improperly slow speeds can cause as many hazards among inexperienced drivers as excessively high speeds, for one. For another, Novice drivers frequently have difficulty perceiving speed, they might believe they are traveling 35 M.P.H. when in fact their speed is 50 or 20. One more: A common trait of inexperience is tunnel vision. Inexperienced drivers commonly fixate directly in front of the vehicle to the exclusion of critical lateral and forward zones. Betwixt and between the books sections are over 850 extremely well executed diagrams that took the author nearly a 1000 hours slaving over a pro...

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