Document NGrNkZpNKdYXKy63NO0J88r2R

1961 Xatiemai Safety Congress average teacher to take an active part in such new research. Perhaps not in the major studies, which will be handled under the direction of skilled professionals in sur veying techniques, but rather in building smaller studies through their local, state and regional associations and societies. There is nothing that prevents any teacher from being a better salesman in his par ticular community for the results of both types of surveys mentioned. In fact, one of the points which in my opinion will be revealed is the need for safety* education teachers to take a more active part in com munity* safety affairs than has been the case in the past decade. This is not as difficult or complicated as it sotmds. Break ing the ice and becoming involved is the most difficult part, and once the start is made it will be discovered that there is great opportunity for the individual to take part in such a way that both he and the community will benefit. For example, an instructor who started a student group under the aegis of the NEA national student traffic safety program would soon find more profitable activities than he could handle, and many of them could be of the kind that provided information suitable for background reports to the local community. In the years immediately ahead there is unquestionably going to be a new concen tration on programmed learning and the teaching machine. We at Ford have just completed our first draft of a programmed course in driver education. I have no doubt that this short course oo passing will look pretty crude is three years, to say nothing of 10, but for the moment it's the latest thing, and the first of its made for use in a teaching maAiw that I know about. Since this technique holds promise of helping the teacher on the spot do a better job with less time and money* spent, I suggest that many of you will want to at least look up the basic literature on the subject of programmed learning to deter mine its possible use in your vhyj, Incidentally, we are going to have to ini tiate some new teaching techniques in order to prepare our students for driving condi tions they will face during the mming 10 years. Sustained speeds of 90 miles per hour on cross-country highway's will not be out of the question during the late *6Q`s. Pre 120 paring the student for this range of speed will require a whole new concept cf emer gency procedure instruction for most teach ers, as will the requirements for safely handling a car at these speeds. Do you give high-speed demonstrations, tire failure emulations, panic stops from top highway speed? A recent survey by a in dicated that the average in the street anticipates cars that can be driven at speeds of 100 miles per hour by 1970. Ail I can say is that we would be well advised to all take the latest police pursuit courses in high speed driving that are just now beginning to be available in a couple of states. The network of freeways being built as a result of the 1956 Federal-Aid Highway Act will fay 1972 span the nation and ulti mately serve one-fifth of all motor vehicle travel. We are going to be in as era of high-speed, long-distance travel which was unknown m past years. Our drivers as well as our cars must be up to the job if we are to realize the improved safe driving engineered into these roads. The conclusion is inescapable that regula tory measures will be modified and improved to an extent that will affect course rnnt^ui and methods now used in teaching, driving students. I anticipate significant advances m state licensing laws, which in many rase? will mean that there will be reasonably tough tests of knowledge and skills as well as physical abilities before the first license will be given. Good sound licensing procedures are a boon to driver education and the passing of the best possible regula tions for the particular state should be ong of the important goals of each state teacher association. One area which every teacher of driving should consistently urge and support is that of uniform traffic laws and ordinances. The Uniform Vehicle Code should be on the desk of every one of us and be used as a guide for classroom discussions, as well as the source of recommendations to the community whenever matters of this nature come up for consideration. I see, too, the use of driving simulators really coming into its own during the next decade. These devices will vary considerably in capacity ranging from a .complicated multi-million dollar one sponsored by the School and College Sessions iederal government to simple devices that only reproduce with reasonable accuracy a single function. The demands of the new fast cruise cross country driving will require such equipment be put to its maximum use. Sai- testing of new drivers and re-check ing of experienced drivers will make far greater use of simulators to duplicate condi tions which are too dangerous to try under actual conditions. The new Aetna Drivotron for duplicating realistically certain driving situations is a case in point. One factor which appears likely to strengthen the hand of the driver education advocate is the continued emphasis by in surance companies through reductions in rates for insurance to young drivers who have successfully passed an approved driv ing course. We must all continue to en courage these discounts for young drivers as they probably are the single most effective means of gaining recognition and acceptance for driver education. I would go further and suggest that we should un dertake to each to put the pressure on the insurance companies to increase the amount of the discount to make them more in line with the figures they quote on the re duction in accident figures of the youngsters who have had instruction. An area that has been vastly influential in the success of the driving program is that dealing with the cooperation of civic and business groups and organizations. A great many of them have declared them selves an the side of driver education. As an example, the recent decision by the auto industry to double tbe rebate allowance to dealers who loaned cars to schools for use in driving classes, is most encouraging. It indicates to me that a very important and substantial clement has unequivocally de clared itself as an ally in the fight to achieve acceptance of driver education. The adult driver who is in difficulty for one reason or another in regard to his driving practices could in the_ past only atone by paying a fine or going to jail. The advent of the driver improvemoit school win offer an intelligent method of handling the problem driver. Here is a great chal lenge to both the professional and the pub lic school teacher: here is a most satisfying and lucrative opportunity for them, here is a way to substitute a constructive pro gram based, upon building increased knowl edge and skill for a negative program based upon punishment. I have every confidence that this challenge will be met and the driver improvement school will become an important fixture in every major community. And now the crystal ball becomes opaque and I no longer make out what it shows. 1 am not naive enough to suggest that all, or for that matter, any significant portion of the advancements I have men tioned will take place without a great strug gle on tbe part of each one of us. I do believe that collectively many of us have on a plateau, building experience for the ahead; and now that we have reached the hill we will make the climb to the next level, even though it strains all our gears in the process. The next time we are given a look into the crystal hail we shall find that many of these pre dicted goals have, through our own efforts, come. true. TEACHER COMPETENCIES IN SAFETY By HOMER ALLEN rita^Ttaw, Committee on Teacher Competencies in Safety Elementary School nn<l Higher Education Section, NSC; Professor, Physical Education for Men, Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind. Two years ago a joint committee of the Higher Education Section and the Elemen tary* School Section of the School and Col lege Division of the National Safety Council agreed to investigate the training in safety education- received by grade school teachers. During the following year some attempt was made by various members of the com mittee to compose a list of competencies which any grade school teacher should pos- 121