Final Research Paper

Elderly People are Driving Hazards

Today many citizens in America, and around the world, are dependent on driving. Without car transportation many people would not be able to go about their daily lives. But do we really realize all the risks and dangers that come with driving from point A to point B? Do we really take driving seriously in everyday matters? Accidents are something that we don’t want to happen to anybody. Accidents occur every day by careless driving or really by an accident. Driving school is meant to teach all future drivers rules and regulations to help them prevent future accidents. Even after that, we still see people multi-tasking while driving like finishing getting ready, and having important conversations via text messaging. My goal is to point out to those drivers who may be overconfident, under confident, unknowledgeable, or just simple careless how to make the road a safer place to be. Elderly people have been driving since 1950, or even earlier than that. But it’s a new era with new minds on the road and people are getting taught new things about on how to drive better. Accidents have been occurring more often every year due to bad driving. “Statistics show that older drivers are more likely than younger ones to be involved in multi-vehicle crashes, particularly at intersections”. (NHTSA)

This topic is serious and is sometimes left untouched and not thought about because it is something hard to fix. People often do not realize that the most accidents and deaths that happen through transportation, like plane, boat or train, happen through driving vehicles. This is topic came to my attention when I saw my uncle get into a accident at the age of 70 years old due to a left turn. I researched this topic to help people understand that driving is not a joke. It’s a life or death situation every day, even with the slightest mistake, or wrong judgment, can have your life ruined, or someone else’s. I researched the topic on how people get into accidents and the age group. A lot of my results came to show that teens and elderly people are more likely to get into an accident. Teenagers are more likely to get into an accident because they are still new to being able to drive on their own, and enjoy showing off their ‘skills’. Older people start to have slower motor skills and bad judgment. “Many of them suffer from health problems including hearing loss, vision problems such as glaucoma and cataracts as well as mild forms of dementia” (Zagata 1). I learned that elderly people can reduce the rates of accidents in the world just by getting more knowledge about on how to drive.

I took my research into further details, not just by looking out on the road and searching the facts on the computer, but by interviewing someone that teaches driving for a living. I took a trip down to the Advanced Driving Academy were they help young teens prepare to drive on the road. I talked to the manager of the driving school Ronald Strubbs and I talked about my topic with him. He was very interested on the topic and it wasn’t the first time he heard about this topic. In fact, he found it so important to change the way people drive that he opened up his own school. This topic has been going on for a while now but no one has taken those words to actions yet. Mr. Strubbs is also in his elderly ages and he doing fine but he recommends people to be aware of the drivers around them. He said “You can improve your driving, but you can’t improve the drivers around you” (Strubbs).

The future is here for us to take control on what we plan on doing to fix the problems of unsafe driving. With this, it will dramatically change life on the roads, and potentially make the society a better place for everyone. Everyone have ideas on how to fix this problem, but we do not realize how hard it is to put these ideas into affect. During the interview with the Mr. Strubbs, we spoke about starting a one-day driving class that quickly re-teaches seniors some helpful tips and rules of the road. This is helpful in that it will refresh their minds and could teach them something they never knew was a law. Also, elderly people should also get a regular check up on their vision, hand coordination, and also anything else that would affect their driving skills. Driving lessons are the most helpful thing we can do for many elderly people. We do not know if it will work or not, and of course it takes a lot of time and work before anything like that could ever start up. It can help realize that is a tragic to see on the roads and it get more knowledge into them so they can carry it on. Knowledge is one thing that many people lack, but with just more help from others people can realize that it’s a better for the society. At this point, something needs to be done to prevent the rapid growth of driving accidents, and the more people that are aware of the situation, the better.
In conclusion, accidents are a life and death situation everyday for many people that are driving on the road. Since the world has become so reliant on driving, and people do it so often, they forget the risks that are involved. Even with a simple drive around the subdivision, people drive carelessly. Every person that becomes aware of the problem is a person more that will take driving seriously. This is why we should spread the word about the risks, and hopefully one day seniors will have to take part in something to improve their driving in order to continue driving. Elderly people are the main target that we need to catch the public with. Accidents have become a big risk factor in society, we drive everyday to from one place to another and with one simple mistake your life is in danger and the people that are involved in the accident. To sum it up, elderly people should be aware of the risk of driving on the roads and should take responsibility on how to improve their driving skills for a safer environment.












Works Cited
NHTSA. "Older Drivers, Elderly Driving, Seniors at the Wheel." Smart Motorist. 14 May 2008. Web. 8 Dec. 2009. .

Stubbs, Ronald. "Driving Safe." Interview by Samir Patel. In Person.

Zagata, Darlene. "The Hazards of Elderly Drivers." Associated Content. 1 Feb. 2007. Web. 8 Dec. 2009. .

Three Photos

The Manager Mr.Strubbs(right side) and Worker


The Classroom of Learning


Very excited for Drivers Ed

Second Life

Three Article Summaries

Computer technology advances through centuries, without it where would any of us be? Technology is what civilization relies on today; technology is advancing every year making it easier for us to do things. Engineering is scientific and mathematical knowledge to design structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes. Technology is important in all areas of careers, such as medical, architectural, and engineering. The area of engineering fascinates me for the amount of area there is for improvements that engineers get to find. Engineers have made the world easier for us by giving us new technology for us to get from point A to point B. The three articles that I’ve found are related to my career I would like to fulfill as an engineer. I want to see how engineers make the world much easier for us due to technology.
Computer technologies have brought many changes to architecture engineering construction where engineer professionals can design more things efficiently. This article summarizes up many things that engineers help designers to make their product much easier. “The process of designing building has become increasingly difficult “(Leman Figen Gul). Engineers have came together to invent a software to help these designers, such as architects, to build buildings on the computer. With this software, it helps people find the easiest way to come about their product, also help them find ways to make it more sufficient in the future. This is more helpful than doing it manually because it gives you tips and ideas to improve your final product.
The next article summary summarizes how the computer software by Allen Razdow helps companies organize their database with easy retrievable numbers for people, numbers labeled for items, and even help unit conversions. "With truenumbers, we will be able to manage and share critical data including design parameters and materials properties, ensuring that anyone on the team can easily get the most up-to-date information available at any time, from anywhere." (Garcia) This system is also helpful in that it will keep all the workers on the same page. All the information will be at everyone’s fingertips and easily retrievable. With the instant unit conversions, the companies can eliminate simple mistakes.
The final article, A Firm Grip, by Jeffery Winters, he declared the exciting new technological invention for measuring hand strength of patients in hospitals. The students of Rice University in Houston set their minds to the same tasks to achieve a goal. “Until now, hand strength has been measured by a clinical procedure called the manual muscle test: a doctor asks the patient to lift each finger while the doctor presses gently down on it. Such a measurement is crude at best and totally subjective.” (Winters) Doctors used their own hands and pressure to measure their patient’s nerves in their hands. With this new innovation doctors all over the world will be able to have accurate measurements that can be understood all over. When the doctors measured manually, the measurement could vary from every doctor for the same patient. Also, when patients are given treatments, they can accurately see their progress so the doctors can make rational decisions on continuing the therapy or changing it.

Computer technology advances through centuries, without it where would any of us be?
Technology is what civilization relies on today; technology is advancing every year making it easier for us do things. Engineering is scientific and mathematical knowledge to design structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes. Technology is important in all areas of

Racism/Stereotype Suvey

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Look around your room, technology is floating everywhere around you. You use technology on a daily basis; without it where would you be? Or who would you be without it? For instance, your cell phone is tucked away in your right pocket, and in your left, maybe an Ipod Touch. Godin and Shirky talk about technology that is changing our lives everyday and how it affects our mindset every single day. Godin talks about how people find things to change, pass on to each other, and assemble tribes that one person believes and passes on to another person and establishes a tribe or a organization. Godin really tries to persuade his audience by telling the people to change one thing and pass on to others. On the other side Shirky talks about how technology is improving and making it easier for people to use. Shirky talks how facebook, twitter, any other communication device helps people report news, but also how some news can be released that may not be true. Shirky and Godin have very similar ideas, talking about technology and how much easier it is to people. The difference is how Godin talks about how people should make a movement, and while the other says how technology is fast for news but can get caught up for the wrong purpose. Shirky use the China earthquake as an example to explain his techniques. He mentioned how the Chinese government said that an earthquake didn’t occur, but since technology expanded, the news were spread everywhere, even facebook and twitter. Godin used different examples such as pirates and tribes. Tribes have a way to set on movements of their beliefs and traditions and that is how their memories continue for longer.

When I saw the snapshot of my desktop, it made me realize how standardized my process is when I begin to write a paper, or important email. Right when I turn on my computer, I turn on my music, check www.espn.com for sports updates, and then continue on to do the work I planned on doing. When I write an email to a professor I have to think really hard on if the email makes sense and sounds professional. Also, there shouldn’t be any spelling errors or confusing sentences that could make the professor think I’m no less intelligent than the next student. When I try to write a paper or a quick essay for a class, it is hard for me to begin right away. I feel like since I’m so used to having my music, and all my sports up-to-date, I can’t go on without making sure that is all done. Now that we can have the world at our fingertips through the computer and internet, we become so used to new things that we may not have before. When I was younger, I had a much easier time writing a paper with just a pen and paper, but now I feel like it’s only possible on the computer. This is just one example of how technology has changed our lives. Also, now that it is nearly possible to do anything you’d like on the computer, if you miss someone’s birthday, you can send an e-card through the internet at that will reach the percent the next minute instead of waiting 2-3 days. It is crazy to see how complicated a life could be just by standing back for a moment to see what is in front of you.