Using Situation Awareness as a Measure of Driver Hazard Perception Ability

The present study investigated the effectiveness of a tablet-based hazard anticipation training program on teenage drivers. Verbal and eye tracking protocols were mapped to Endsley’s three level model of situation awareness (SA) as a means of measuring schema development. Participants were trained with a tablet based training program containing hazard identification scenarios. After six months they were asked to drive a simulator and on-road drive with various hazard scenarios. Results showed a significant difference between trained teen drivers and placebo teen drivers, both in eye tracking and verbal protocol. Verbal protocol and eye tracking protocol of trained teen drivers showed higher order of situation awareness in either of Endsley’s model levels. This means trained group were more capable of identifying and mitigating the hazards and verbalizing the future states of the environment. In conclusion, the tablet based hazard identification and anticipation training program could be an effective post-licensure training program to give better insight of “what is going on” in driving environment

The ‘frontal lobe’ project: A double-blind, randomized controlled study of the effectiveness of higher level driving skills training to improve frontal lobe (executive) function related driving performance in young drivers

The current study was undertaken in order to evaluate the effectiveness of higher level skills training on safe driving behaviour of 36 teenage drivers. The participants, who attended the Driver Training Research camp in Taupo (NZ) over a two week period, were 16 to 17 years old and had a valid restricted driver licence. The study focused on four main aims. Firstly, the behavioural characteristics of the sample and their attitudes to risk taking and driving were examined. Results showed that speeding was the most anticipated driving violation, and high levels of confidence were associated with a higher number of crashes and a greater propensity for risk taking. Many, often male participants, also rated their driving skills as superior to others and thought they would be less likely than others to be involved in an accident. Secondly, the relationship between driving performance and executive functioning, general ability and sustained attention was evaluated. Overall, better driving performance and more accurate self-evaluation of driving performance was related to higher levels of executive functions, in particular, working memory, and cognitive switching. In addition, higher general ability and greater ability to sustain attention were also linked to better performance on the driving related assessments. The third focus of this study was to compare the effects of both, higher level and vehicle handling skills training on driving performance, confidence levels and attitudes to risk. While both types of training improved direction control, speed choice and visual search, along with number of hazards detected and actions in relation to hazards, statistically significant improvement on visual search was seen only after higher level skills training. Vehicle handling skills training significantly improved direction control and speed choice. In addition, confidence levels in their driving skills were significantly lowered and attitudes to speeding, overtaking and close following had improved significantly in the participants after the higher level driving skills training. The final aspect to this study was to examine the effects of the training over the following 6 month period based on self-reported driving behaviour. The response rate of participants however, was not sufficient to reach any meaningful conclusion on any long-term training effects. A pilot study using GPSbased data trackers to assess post-training driving behaviour revealed some promising results for future driver training evaluation studies. The overall implications of the results are discussed in relation to improving the safety of young drivers in New Zealand

Are situation awareness and decision-making in driving totally conscious processes? Results of a Hazard Prediction task

Detecting danger in the driving environment is an indispensable task to guarantee safety which depends on the driver's ability to predict upcoming hazards. But does correct prediction lead to an appropriate response? This study advances hazard perception research by investigating the link between successful prediction and response selection. Three groups of drivers (learners, novices and experienced drivers) were recruited, with novice and experienced drivers further split into offender and non-offender groups. Specifically, this works aims to develop an improved Spanish Hazard Prediction Test and to explore the differences in Situation Awareness, (SA: perception, comprehension and prediction) and Decision-Making ("DM") among learners, younger inexperienced and experienced drivers and between driving offenders and non-offenders. The contribution of the current work is not only theoretical; the Hazard Prediction Test is also a valid way to test Hazard Perception. The test, as well as being useful as part of the test for a driving license, could also serve a purpose in the renewal of licenses after a ban or as a way of training drivers. A sample of 121 participants watched a series of driving video clips that ended with a sudden occlusion prior to a hazard. They then answered questions to assess their SA ("What is the hazard?" "Where is it located?" "What happens next?") and "DM" ("What would you do in this situation?"). This alternative to the Hazard Perception Test demonstrates a satisfactory internal consistency (Alpha=0.750), with eleven videos achieving discrimination indices above 0.30. Learners performed significantly worse than experienced drivers when required to identify and locate the hazard. Interestingly, drivers were more accurate in answering the "DM" question than questions regarding SA, suggesting that drivers can choose an appropriate response manoeuvre without a totally conscious knowledge of the exact hazard

What happens when drivers face hazards on the road?

The current study aims to obtain knowledge about the nature of the processes involved in Hazard Perception, using measurement techniques to separate and independently quantify these suspected sub-processes: Sensation, Situation Awareness (recognition, location and projection) and Decision-Making. It applies Signal Detection Theory analysis to Hazard Perception and Prediction Tasks. To enable the calculation of Signal Detection Theory parameters, video-recorded hazardous vs. quasi-hazardous situations were presented to the participants. In the hazardous situations it is necessary to perform an evasive action, for instance, braking or swerving abruptly, while the quasi-hazardous situations do not require the driver to make any evasive manoeuvre, merely to carry on driving at the same speed and following the same trajectory. A first Multiple Choice Hazard Perception and Prediction test was created to measure participants’ performance in a What Happens Next? Task. The sample comprised 143 participants, 47 females and 94 males. Groups of non-offender drivers (learner, novice and experienced) and offender drivers (novice and experienced) were recruited. The Multiple Choice Hazard Perception and Prediction test succeeded in finding differences between drivers according to their driving experience. In fact, differences exist with regard to the level of hazard discrimination (d’ prime) by drivers with different experience (learner, novice and experienced drivers) and profile (offenders and non-offenders) and these differences emerge from Signal Detection Theory analysis. In addition, it was found that experienced drivers show higher Situation Awareness than learner or novice drivers. On the other hand, although offenders do worse than non-offenders on the hazard identification question, they do just as well when their Situation Awareness is probed (in fact, they are as aware as non-offenders of what the obstacles on the road are, where they are and what will happen next). Nevertheless, when considering the answers participants provided about their degree of cautiousness, experienced drivers were more cautious than novice drivers, and non-offender drivers were more cautious than offender drivers. That is, a greater number of experienced and non-offender drivers chose the answer “I would make an evasive manoeuvre such as braking gradually”

Formulating Older Driver Licensing Policy: An Evaluation of Older Driver Crash History and Performance

This research sought to understand the relationship between licensing policy and the opportunity for the development of a scientifically-based approach to identifying high risk older drivers based on prior driving history. This research focused on five tasks: 1) review of the literature, 2) compilation of information on licensing policy for use by decision-makers, 3) assessment of charges and payer source for older driver crashes using linked crash and hospital data , and 4) the development and 5) validation of an older driver crash prediction model. There is relatively little available in the way of information for policymakers regarding licensing, and there is even less information available on evaluation of licensing practice effectiveness. Emergency department charges for older males were lower than females even though males accounted for a larger percentage of the injured population. Older drivers were no more likely to be covered by public insurance than the comparison group. Crash and citation data used to develop a driver history showed no differences between drivers in injury causing crashes and drivers in non-injury crashes. Logistic regression, Poisson regression, and negative binomial regression models were unable to effectively predict crash involvement based on driver history. This is likely due to self-selection bias for older drivers and truncated distribution of count variable (injury causing crashes). Recommendations resulting from this research include Massachusetts and national policy recommendations and additional research. Massachusetts should expand beyond its referral-based system for reviewing older drivers, consider restriction rather than only revocation, review medical advisory board practices, conduct evaluation of any policies it does implement, and conduct a thorough review of alternative transportation options. Nationally, efforts should focus on developing effective cognitive/functional testing by licensing agents, identification of effective second phase of testing, determination of a mechanism for determining when to retest, and assessment of the differences between older males and females for potential use in training, education, and testing. Research recommendations include continued exploration of the potential for systematic identification of high risk drivers using administrative data and in-depth analyses of the differences between males and females in terms of aging and driver safety

Simulators, driver education and disadvantaged groups: A scoping review

This paper examines simulators to deliver driver education programs for two very different populations (a) those who have specific impairments or intellectual disabilities and (b) those who may suffer disadvantage associated with their ethnicity. To do this we addressed two research questions (a) What role, if any, can simulation play as an education and/or training intervention for individuals disadvantaged because of individually-orientated concerns such as intellectual impairment or ADHD? (b) What role, if any, can simulation play as an education and/or training intervention for those who are disadvantaged because of their indigenous ethnicity? Technological developments have enabled the incorporation of driving simulators into driver education programs. A review of major databases using keywords identified 2,420 records. After duplicates were removed and screening occurred, thirteen studies were included in the review. The disadvantaged populations for the driver education initiatives that incorporated a simulator were very specific (e.g. intellectual disabilities) with no interventions for those disadvantaged because of ethnicity. A second search identified six papers that discussed interventions for indigenous populations. None of these interventions had a simulator component. The review highlights the need for high quality empirical research in the area of simulators, driver education and disadvantaged groups in order to inform policy development within this area. While there are some preliminary results indicating potential benefits, there is limited research evidence for an initiative of this type making it difficult to develop evidence based policy and practice. Therefore, when these types of initiatives are introduced, they need to be evaluated</p

An After School Program to Reduce Teen Violence, Recidivism, and Prepare Teens for the Workplace in Douglas County, Georgia

Violence is a leading cause of death and injury for juveniles and is projected to increase in the state of Georgia. Many if not most of these violent acts occur while teens are unsupervised between after school and when guardians return from work. After school programs have been proven effective in improving academic preparation and social skills while also providing adequate supervision. An additional and important component in reducing violence and other high-risk opportunities is related to workplace readiness. However, a review of existing programs concludes that there are currently no programs that contain all three components of academic preparation, social skills, and workplace readiness. The goal of the proposed program is to reduce delinquency, recidivism, and prepare juveniles for the workplace. This proposed program utilizes the infrastructure of a faith-based organization to house an after school program and to share resources. Activities offered as part of this proposed program include group therapy, violence prevention curricula, job interview skills, computer technology, and other specific activities depending on participant’s interest. The proposed program is also suggested as a sanction for minor juvenile offenders as a replacement for probation, community service, or therapy in order to reduce recidivism. The proposed program is also suggested for high school students classified as at-risk by school faulty or staff. Issues pertaining to implementation and sustainability will be discussed