FREDERIK R. MOTTOLA Public Health (Retired)

BOOKS PUBLISHED:

Partnership For Driver Excellence: Student, Parent, Teacher (for use in-car by driver education teachers and parents to provide content and a format to aid the habit development process of student drivers). Interactive Driving Systems, Inc., Cheshire, CT, 1996.

Proposed Minimum Standards For Driver Education Students (measurable set of driver behavioral patterns to serve as criteria for successful driver performance). The American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association, 1995.

JOURNAL ARTICLES PUBLISHED:

"Reference Points: A Visual Feedback System." The Chronicle of the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association 45:1 (Winter 1997).

"What's So Different About Winter Driving." Journal for Washington Traffic Safety Education Association 25:2 (Winter 1997).

"The Zone Control System Provides Blueprint for Risk Reduction Habits." The Chronicle of the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association 44:4 (Fall 1996).

"Driver Education Minimum Standards of Performance." The Chronicle of the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association 44:4 (Fall 1996).

"Minimum Standards for Driver Education Students." The Chronicle of the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association 43:4 (Fall 1995).

"Mottola On Communicating." Journal for Washington Traffic Safety Education Association 24:1 (Fall 1995).

"Target Area to Target Area Searching." Journal for Washington Traffic Safety Education Association 23:1 (Fall 1994).

OTHER PUBLICATIONS:

Mottola's Zone Control Driving System Teacher's Guide (detailed book to aid a teacher in the presentation of Mottola's Zone Control Driving System Video Program--learning activities for classroom and in-car are presented). Interactive Driving Systems, Inc., Cheshire, CT, 1994.

Mottola's Zone Control Driving System Video Program, 4th edition (series of eleven video tapes to generate student interaction in the classroom focusing on mental rehearsal preparation for in-car readiness). Interactive Driving Systems, Inc., Cheshire, CT, 1994.

Invented an apparatus to convert a front wheel drive car into a skid simulator--conducted research necessary for the patent application, wrote patent application document, created and drew necessary drawings, 1993-1995. A unit was built for use in Southern Connecticut State University's traffic safety education program.

Invented new type of mirror to eliminate driver blind spots--conducted research necessary for patent application, wrote patent application document, created and drew necessary drawings, and manufactured the mirrors, 1993-1994.

Mottola's Zone Control Driving System Video Program (five modules of 45-55 minutes each presenting time-space decision-making skill development activities for use in a classroom). Interactive Driving Systems, Inc., Cheshire, CT, 1989-present.

Interactive Driver Training Program for Low Stress-High Gain Habit Formations (series of video tapes operated by computer). Interactive Driving Systems, Inc., Cheshire, CT, 1989-present.

Developed materials and concepts for use in Comprehensive Curricular Goals, Objectives and Learning Activities for Teaching Emergency Vehicle Driving. Guidelines for the Evaluation and Structuring of a Driver Training Process for Law Enforcement Personnel, a task force report by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1989.

The Driving Guide: Zone Control for Precision Driving, Cheshire, CT, Driver Behavior Institute, 1983 & 1986.

Developed taxonomy for teaching in-car driving tasks to a beginning driver, 1984-1988. A simple-to-complex organization of how to sequence manipulative skills with space management skills.

Designed and evaluated five-year plan to improve training and testing of school bus drivers, 1979-1988. A set of licensing standards was formulated and is currently being used by motor vehicle school bus driver examiners. Funded by the State of Connecticut Motor Vehicle Department and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Developed 45 driving behaviors into a system that achieves a high degree of driver awareness with brief training exposure time, 1979-1986. Called "Mottola's Zone Control System," it allows driver to develop a low-risk unconscious decision-making process for maximum controllability of a threatening situation. This system is used by many school systems and by corporations throughout the U. S., and is recommended by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training as a system for training police officers.

Invented and granted U. S. patent for a back seat driving simulator, 1967-1970. Simulator allows one to measure perception a driver has of an upcoming traffic event.

Researched and developed visual perception system named "Reference Points," 1961-1973, for increasing driver awareness of vehicle placement to the roadway.

CONFERENCE PAPERS ORALLY DELIVERED:

"Using the Classroom for Modeling Crash-Avoidance Habits." NETSEA Annual Conference, November 1996.

"The Format for New Traffic Safety Education Curriculum." Vermont Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association Conference, October 1996.

"Partnership For Driver Excellence: Student, Parent, Teacher." Vermont Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association Conference, October 1996.

"Teaching of Fifteen Good Habits Can Eliminate Millions Of Crashes" (keynote speaker). Washington Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association Annual Conference, October 1996.

"Habit Formation For Crash Avoidance Behavior" (keynote speaker). School Bus Driver Trainers Conference, Toronto, May 1996.

"Ten Good Habits Can Eliminate Millions Of Crashes" (keynote speaker). Manitoba Safety Council Annual Conference, Winnipeg, December 1995.

"Speed Control and Vehicle Dynamics." NETSEA Annual Conference, November 1995.

"Minimum Standards For Driver Performance" (keynote speaker). Vermont Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association Annual Conference, November 1995.

"Proposed Minimum Standards For Driver Education Programs." National Annual Conference of ADTSEA, August 1995.

"How To Eliminate The Deadly Single Vehicle Crash." National Student Safety Program National Conference, June 1995.

"The Importance Of Teaching Habit Development." National Annual Conference of ADTSEA, August 1994.

WORKSHOP LEADERSHIP:

"Using The Skid Monster for Skid Avoidance Behavior" (hands-on-workshop). NETSEA Annual Conference, November 1996.

"Teaching Mottola's Zone Control System and the Use of Reference Points" (pilot program for preparing traffic safety education teachers). Idaho Department of Education, October 1996.

"Teaching Mottola's Zone Control System and the Use of Reference Points" (pre-conference workshop for teacher preparation). Washington Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association Annual Conference, October 1996.

"Effective Teaching Techniques to Reduce Driving Risk"(teacher preparation workshop). Manitoba Safety Council, September 1996.

"Mottola's Zone Control Driving System and the Use of Reference Points" (teacher preparation pre-conference workshop). National Annual Conference of ADTSEA, August 1996.

"Parent Involvement Model Programs." National Annual Conference of ADTSEA, August 1996.

"Using the Classroom for Modeling Crash-Avoidance Habits." National Annual Conference of ADTSEA, August 1996.

Facilitated a Curriculum Development Workshop for the State Of Vermont using Mottola's Zone Control System as a standard for driver performance, June 1996.

"Reference Points;" "Mottola's Zone Control;" "Minimum Standards;" and "The Skid Monster" (4 separate workshops). Montana Traffic Safety Education Association Annual Conference, May 1996.

"Vehicle Dynamics and Teaching With The Skid Monster." Texas Traffic Safety Education Association Annual Conference, April 1996.

"Driving The Skid Monster For Effective Speed Control." Manitoba Safety Council Annual Conference, Winnipeg, December 1995.

"Drive The Skid Monster" (teacher hands-on workshop). NETSEA Annual Conference, November 1995.

"Vehicle Dynamics and Teaching With The Skid Monster." Vermont Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association Annual Conference, November 1995.

"Mottola's Zone Control Driving System and the Use of Reference Points" (pre-conference workshop). National Annual Conference of ADTSEA, August 1995.

"Teaching How To Eliminate The Deadly Single Vehicle Crash." National Annual Conference of ADTSEA, August 1995.

"Drive The Skid Monster" (hands-on workshop for students). National Student Safety Program National Conference, June 1995.

"Mottola's Zone Control Driving System" (teacher preparation pre-conference workshop). National Annual Conference of ADTSEA, August 1994.

"The Use Of Targeting For Visual Skill Development." National Annual Conference of ADTSEA, August 1994.

RESEARCH INTERESTS IN GENERAL:

Traffic Safety Education; Driver Behavior; Crash Avoidance Behavior; Skid Prevention and Control; Driver Education; Traffic Safety Teacher Preparation

CURRENT/FUTURE SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS:

Structuring a measurable set of driver behavioral patterns to serve as criteria for successful driver performance. Identifying very specific actions of driver performance that make up "safe driving skills." These behavioral patterns have been adopted by the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association as the standard of performance to measure a student's successful completion of a driver education program.

Since 1961, when I first became involved in driver education, I have spent most of my time trying to find the answer to two questions: "Why do driver's get into crashes?" and "How can an educational program help reduce the crashes?" As a result of my attempts to answer these questions I discovered that there were no systematic methods of problem recognition and decision making being taught in driver education programs. The majority of learning activities being taught involved manipulative skills rather than information processing and decision making skills. After six years of empirical research with beginning drivers I developed a systematic method of teaching drivers. This was published in 1969 as my Master's thesis titled, "A Systematic Method For Presenting In-Car Instruction To Develop Defensive Driving Traffic Strategy Within A Beginning Driver." Many of the driving behaviors I formulated in the sixties are actions that are now recommended by high school and driver improvement programs throughout the country.