Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/245179
Bad Habit 5: MiSJUdging peRSOnAL ABiLiTY # Everyone thinks they can drive. Heck, according to one AMA survey, most people think they're pretty good drivers – yet believe the majority of others are not. Obviously we all have some blind spots when it comes to our own skills. Trouble is, the abilities we need to drive safely, like eyesight, hearing, physical strength and cognitive ability, can deteriorate as a result of injury or illness, or due to aging. We all need to take stock of our abilities regularly, and drive – or not – accordingly. Eyesight: Our eyes gather 90 per cent of the information we process behind the wheel. But at middle age, vision starts to deteriorate – often so gradually that we don't notice: • The amount of light we require to drive safely doubles every 13 years. • Eyes' focus speed slows down. • Sensitivity to glare increases. • Colours lose their brightness and become harder to see. • Peripheral vision narrows. Hearing: As we age, the sound-detecting hair cells in our inner ears begin to die, and they don't grow back. Hearing loss affects a driver's ability to react to warning sounds outside and inside the vehicle. Strength and Flexibility: It takes arm and leg strength to accelerate, shift gears, brake and steer; grip strength to make sudden turns; and flexibility to do a proper shoulder-check – all of which can be compromised by injury or aging. Cognitive Ability: We use our brains for everything from braking to making left turns. But as our brains age, our ability to process information and make decisions slows down. W Trouble with vision, hearing, strength or quick thinking? get a driver assessment or take a brush-up lesson with AMA Driver education. ama.ab.ca We All pay for Bad driving "bad driving behaviours can lead to an increase in collisions, injuries and claims. insurance rates increase overall when the number of claims increase. if we all practise good driving behaviours, we can each do our part to help keep insurance rates affordable. Collectively, we all pay for the impact of bad driving." – Shant Jain, manager of underwriting policy and process, AMA Insurance 50 W e s t W o r l d a l b e r ta | S p r i n g 2 0 14 p40-50_WorstDriving.indd 50 14-01-10 3:46 PM