MFA THESIS & EXHIBIT
- YOONA KIM
- Jun 30
- 2 min read
ABSTRACT
ROAD RAGE
THE ROLE OF PARENTS AND INTERACTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR YOUNG DRIVERS
Young drivers between 15 and 20 years of age contribute to higher accident rates than older, more experienced drivers. According to the CDC report, Teen Drivers: Get the Facts 2019, nearly 2,400 adolescents died in motor vehicle crashes and approximately 258,000 were treated in the emergency room. That is, seven teenagers lose their lives in car accidents every day. Moreover, in 2018, medical and work-loss costs due to deaths by car crashes of adolescents aged 15-19 totaled $4.8 billion in the U.S. A leading cause of student drivers' car accidents was road rage (i.e., aggressive driving behavior, including violent actions such as threats or physical harm to other drivers, speeding, rude gestures or language, and shootings; Kelsey & Sperry, 955-56).
Adolescent drivers should receive education to curb aggressive driving habits, in which parental influence plays an important role. Teenage motorists whose parents played a more significant role in their driver's education were less aggressive and less likely to be involved in car collisions (Lambert-Bélanger et al.; Pezoldt et al.; Farmer et al.). However, Parent-Taught Driver Education in Texas: A Comparative Evaluation notes that parents do not receive sufficient information and resources to educate young drivers about road rage (23).
This study therefore suggests ways for parents to prevent aggressive driving using relevant information for adolescent motorists in the digital era. This educational tool would help young Texas drivers recognize the triggers, causes, and dangers of road rage and thus give them the tools to make better decisions on the road and become safer drivers.
MFA
East Texas A&M University Master of Fine Arts with focusing on visual communication, aims to meet the needs of practicing professionals in the expanding field of visual communication who aspire to achieve a higher level of proficiency in the areas of creative design innovation, business problem-solving techniques, design business strategy, ideation, and marketing, and to help them prepare for a career in design education.