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Driver Distraction: Results from Naturalistic Teenage Driving Studies. Charlie Klauer , Ph. D. Research Scientist Group Lead: Teen Risk and Injury Prevention Center for Vulnerable Road Users Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. Introduction.
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Driver Distraction:Results from Naturalistic Teenage Driving Studies Charlie Klauer, Ph. D. Research Scientist Group Lead: Teen Risk and Injury Prevention Center for Vulnerable Road Users Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
Introduction • Driver distraction, defined here as engaging in a secondary task or activity that is not central to the primary task of driving, has been shown to be a contributing factor for many crashes. • Secondary tasks and other activities in which drivers choose to engage while driving is also known to be highly varied, including very complex activities (e.g., text messaging on a cellular device) to very simple activities (e.g., selecting a radio preset).
A New Method of Study:Large-Scale Naturalistic Driving 40 to 100 drivers No instructions 12to 18 mos. 10,000’s of hours 2 MVMT
Driving Safety Research Approaches • Epidemiological Studies • PARs • Simulation • Test Track • Lab Experiment • Missing Piece? NDS
Naturalistic Data Collection Approach Highly capable instrumentation (well beyond EDRs) • Multiple channels of digital, compressed video • Multiple radar sensors front, rear and/or side • Machine vision-based lane tracker • Many other sensors: GPS, glare, RF, acceleration, yaw rate, controls, etc. • Cell phone, wireless internet, or hardwire download • Ties into vehicle networks to obtain other information
Limitations… • Have not yet captured a large number of crash events • To overcome this limitation several studies have utilized “near crashes” in combination with crashes. • Near crashes, in this case, are defined as having all of the elements of a crash with the exception that the driver implements a successful evasive maneuver. • The 100 Car Study showed that near crash involvement is correlated with crash involvement across differing drivers • There is a growing body of evidence that combining crash and near crash events provides a valid measure of overall crash risk.
Results: Driver inattention is a key contributing factor in crashes for both truck and light vehicles. • The largest single contributing factor is looking away from the roadway just prior to an unexpected event or condition. This accounts for somewhere between 70% and 90% of unsafe events. • Engaging in activities that are unrelated to driving (i.e., “secondary tasks”) and external distractions account for most of the inattention-related risk. • High Risk: Looking away many times and/or long periods • Includes: Cell phone dialing, text messaging, Ipod/MP3 manipulation, and internet interaction. • Much less risk: Eating/drinking, talking to passengers, simple radio functions, and even talking on a cell phone. • Teens are four times more likely to be involved in a near crash or crash while performing a secondary task than their adult counterparts.
Analysis Approach • Data analyses were conducted utilizing the “100 car” and heavy truck naturalistic driving databases. • These data were specifically coded for the purpose of assessing secondary task distraction. • From these data, an “event” database of crashes and near crashes was created with • 830 crashes, minor collisions and near crashes (100 Car) • 118 crashes, minor collisions, and near crashes (34 Truck) • These data were also used to develop a “non-event” or baseline database to assess exposure.
These results have significant design implications for driver-vehicle interfaces • Cognitive-only, or auditory-voice secondary task interfaces will generally be less risky than visuo-manual secondary tasks. • The tasks with the highest crash risk are those that require multiple glances away from the road.
Hand-held is substantially riskier than “true” hands-free. • Operating a complex hand-held device is significantly more risky than a hands-free counterpart. • Dialing and answering a hand-held phone were both higher risk tasks, even in comparison to the often longer task of talking on a hand held phone. • Greatest proportion of risk does not come from the conversation or act of holding a phone to one’s ear, it comes from the complex task components of dialing, answering, texting, etc. that require multiple glances away from the roadway.
Cognitive versus Visual Distraction • Conversation may be distracting but it does not translate into crashes/near-crashes • True for naturalistic data and crash database data. • Visual distraction, eyes off forward roadway increases crash/near crash risk • True for naturalistic data and controlled experiments.
Future NDS • SHRP 2 • ~3000 participants • Supervised Practice Driving Study • 90 teenaged drivers • MSF 100 Motorcycle Study