LESSON 2.

TRAFFIC SAFETY EDUCATION

Concept

As mention in the preceding lesson, traffic safety education is one of the primary areas
of traffic education is particularly in the reduction and prevention of road accidents.

What is traffic Safety Education? It is the process of training roads users in avoidance
and prevention of traffic related accidents.

It is already identified that one if not the major causes of traffic accidents is human
factors which includes but not limited to ignorance, lack of skills, and/or erratic attitude
and behavior of drivers, pedestrians, passengers. This can be corrected by traffic safety
education.

Road Safety. It refers to reduced risk of accident or injury on the roads, achieve through
multidisciplinary approaches involving road engineering and traffic management,
education and training of road users, and vehicle design.

A. Factors Contributing Accident. Research studies in the United Kingdom have

shown that human factors contribute 95% of accidents, road factors to about one
quarter of a percent, and vehicle factors to fewer than five percent.
1. Human errors include:
a) going too fast or excessive speed;
b) failing to give at junctions
c) following too closely
d) overtaking improperly
e) misperceiving or misjudging the road situation ahead;
f) intoxication of alcohol or drug: and
g) luck of skill.
2. Road deficiencies that are main contributory factors are:
a) poor design of layout and control of junctions;
b) inadequate signing, road marking, and lightning
c) slippery roads; and
 d) obstructions on the road such as parked vehicle, on-going road
construction, etc.
3. Main vehicle factors are:
a. defects in tires, brakes and lights
b. absence or non-using of seatbelts; and
c. poorly maintained motor vehicles
B. The three principles that have been emphasized as effective in prevention of
traffic accidents are known as the 3 “E”s or pillars of traffic. Recently however,
traffic environment and traffic economy were added to complete the 5 pillars of
traffic.
1. Engineering (traffic engineering). Effective construction and maintenance of
traffic facilities which does not only expedite the movement of traffic but
also prevents the occurrence of traffic accidents. Successful treatments have
included:
a) changes in layout at junction to define priorities more clearly use
b) more wide use of road markings to delineate traffic lanes and
waiting areas for turning vehicles;
c) improvements in skidding resistance of wet roads;
d) more uniform street lighting;
e) and more highly visible and legible direction, information, and
warning signs.
2. Education (in traffic safety) When the road users are informed of the traffic
laws, rules and regulations, accidents are likely prevented. Further, there
are strong suggestions of benefits from pre-schools where it is the integral
part of the school curriculum. Included are:
a. new approach to training and educating young drivers:
b. training in hazard perception; and
c. changing of attitudes
3. Enforcement (of traffic rules) One of the causes of accident is the blatant
non-compliance of motorists and pedestrians to traffic laws, rules and
regulations. To minimize the occurrence of accidents due to non-
compliance of road users, enforcement must be conducted. The following
are highly recommended in areas of traffic enforcement:
a. strengthening and simplifying the application of the law;
 b. new technology to aid enforcement
c. enhanced publicity
d. education of teenagers in school; and
e. the development of rehabilitation course like seminars for apprehended
traffic violators
4. Ecology/Environment. People should be educated regarding the adverse
effect of traffic to our environment that directly or indirectly affects the
population’s health.
5. Economy. People should learn also to developed schemes and /or devices
and programs that do not only lessen and expenses but also accident-free.
C. Levels Of Traffic Safety Education
1. Imparting knowledge concerning traffic safety;
2. Training and practice in the application of traffic safety knowledge; and
3. Developing traffic safety morality.
D. Traffic Safety for Children. This is highly systematic and is usually carried out
in the home through parental education and kindergarten and nurseries. This is
now necessary to make it systematic to lessen the number of children fatalities
and injuries.
1. Elementary. Pupils are usually educated by stressing on the traffic safety
guides, classroom discussions of accidents, incidents and other traffic safety
rules.
2. Secondary. This level initiates driver education program because students
have reached the aged to drive, hence, proper driving habits should be
stressed. It also includes the establishment of school safety organizations.
3. Higher Education. Some universities and colleges offer the conduct courses
to private and public agencies regarding the traffic safety subjects.
E. Traffic Education for Adults. Safety educator for the elder pedestrians and
drivers is relatively easier compared to the education designed for younger
children since the former group is in the better position to understand what is
being taught to them.
1. It is the general belief that by being better driver, it follows that one
becomes a better pedestrian. By knowing the limitations of the driver and
the vehicle as the driving student, ones learns to watch out for dangerous
cues such as pedestrians. This is the basic reason why traffic safety
 education for adults usually deals only with the foundations and basics of
driving.
2. Driver education is carried in the secondary schools and in the private and
government sponsored driving school in number of countries where
people are expected to know how to drive when they reach legal ages. The
basic purpose of this education are:
a. To developed good traffic citizens who are equipped to live in the
motorized society and achieving traffic safety.
b. To develop citizens who are legally eligible to get a driver’s license.
F. Driver’s Education. In general, driver’s instruction aims primarily to teach the
rudiments of driving. Secondary aims are as follows:
1. To instill awareness of one’s legal and moral responsibilities in traffic, and
2. To teach the abilities required for the one to be eligible for a driver’s
license.
G. Four basic Types of Instruction Methods Used in a Driver Education Programs:
1. Comprehensive. This method places the student into a real life of driving
situations from the beginning.
2. Traditional Instruction. This type of instructions depends on instructor-
student communication.
3. Commentary Driving Method. The student driver accompanied by an
instructor. As a student driver drives, the instructor has to give
commentary on his driving-what he sees, what he does, why he does, what
he proposes to do, what others are likely to do, etc.
4. Simulated Conditions On and Off the road training. The premise of
simulated conditions training is the behaviour of the driver-subject placed
in conditions training is the behaviour of the driver-subject placed in
condition will be relatively analogous to normal behaviour. Stimulator is a
static machine with all the important features of car used in a driving
method or driving training. There are two methods of simulation presently
adopted.
a. Partial Simulation Method. This method has a specific aim of training
for the “subtasks”
b. Global simulation. It may be classified into (2) specific groups which
are: training, simulated in traffic situations and conditions, with the use
 of simulations. Simulators are most commonly used for the following
types of training:
1. Training on basic car-control skills
2. Perceptual training
3. Emergency training
c. Classifications of films as shown by the simulators:
1. The analytical film which provides an “objective” analysis and
driving situation presented to the student.
2. The didactic film which aims to show good driving behaviour.
3. The simulation film which offers “visual realism” to driving
situations and therefore a good aid in actual practice.
H. Essential Components of Driving Tasks. Driver’s Education includes:
1. Collection of information which includes:
a. Perceptual scanning and
b. Indentification
2. Processing of information which includes:
a. Predicting and
b. Decision making
3. Action which is focused on:
a. Motor skills and controlled of vehicles
b. Knowledge and subjective interpretation
I. Biorhythm. It is the theory which asserts that man exhibits a constant variation
of energy and mood states. Man’s theorized cycles and interpretation rhythm is
peculiar characteristics of most natural phenomena like:
1. The diurnal exchange of light and darkness.
2. The four seasons
3. Our wet and dry season.
4. The waxing and the waning of the moon.
The observation of the rhythm mentioned and their possible correlation with
the habits of man has led to a host of different theories that tried to explain
this correlation in term of physical, psychological, etc. The following are the
most controversial theory of biorhythm:
1. 23 day cycle a.k.a our cycle of strength, endurance and courage (the male
component of a person).
 2. 28-day emotional cycle equivalent to a female's 28 day menstrual cycle is
a.k.a our cycle of sensitivity, love and intuition( the female component of a
person)
3. 33-day cycle intellectual cycle

All these cycles are present at the time we are born. When the curve is
above the center line, the biorhythm value is said to be is “HIGH” or a
person has more energy to spare.

1. Physical high – we tend to be energetic, strong full of vitality.

2. Emotional high-we tend to be creative, artistic cheerful and happy.
3. Intellectual high- we are able to think quickly and logically.

When the curve is below the center line, the boirhythm is said to be “LOW” or
in recharged period.
1. Physical low- we tend to tire quickly and to succumb to illness easily.
2. Emotionally low- we feel moody irritable, or depressed
3. Intellectual low-concentrating or remembering is difficult or we likely to
use poor judgement when any of the curved cross the center line. This is
called critical day wherein our systems seem to be in the state of
transition. During the critical day, people tend to get sick easily, seem to
lack coordination and tend to be accident prone.
J. Importance of biorhythm in the field of the study. It should be be borne in
mind that biorhythm does not predict the actual will happen. All it does is to
give us hint on how we will tend to feel in certain day.
1. The theory asserts that people are accident prone if their biorhythm
crosses the center ine or a certain day or is totally below the line.
2. Theoretically, if we know our biorhythm for a certain day, e can
psychologically cope up with any situation. If we usually overcome any
ill effect by awareness and will power.

This idea has been put into use in different countries in the world, and the
result helps reduce accident rates until it is totally refuted.
K. Safety Campaign. This is a mass publicity aimed to make road users behave
more safely. These basically focus on public information attitudes, and particular
or specific behaviors, or combinations of these.

Safety Campaign. This is also known as road propaganda which may be

intended simply to inform or it may be felt that the public is already aware of the
recommended behaviour by need to be persuaded into adopting it. Traffic safety
campaigns are usually published through the tri-media including some internet
websites dealing on traffic management.

1. Safety Campaign Classifications:

a. According to purpose- maybe categorized as informational,
attitudinal and behavioural; and
b. According to the kind of appeal- used to reason by simply feeding
the public with authenticated factual data.
2. Safety Campaign Design:
a. Initial campaign planning
b. Final campaign design
c. Campaign evaluation
3. Private and Government entities responsible for safety campaign:
a. Newspaper
b. Radio Broadcasting Networks
c. Television Broadcasting Networks
d. Public Information Agencies