A novel Big Data analytics and intelligent technique to predict driver's intent

Modern age offers a great potential for automatically predicting the driver's intent through the increasing miniaturization of computing technologies, rapid advancements in communication technologies and continuous connectivity of heterogeneous smart objects. Inside the cabin and engine of modern cars, dedicated computer systems need to possess the ability to exploit the wealth of information generated by heterogeneous data sources with different contextual and conceptual representations. Processing and utilizing this diverse and voluminous data, involves many challenges concerning the design of the computational technique used to perform this task. In this paper, we investigate the various data sources available in the car and the surrounding environment, which can be utilized as inputs in order to predict driver's intent and behavior. As part of investigating these potential data sources, we conducted experiments on e-calendars for a large number of employees, and have reviewed a number of available geo referencing systems. Through the results of a statistical analysis and by computing location recognition accuracy results, we explored in detail the potential utilization of calendar location data to detect the driver's intentions. In order to exploit the numerous diverse data inputs available in modern vehicles, we investigate the suitability of different Computational Intelligence (CI) techniques, and propose a novel fuzzy computational modelling methodology. Finally, we outline the impact of applying advanced CI and Big Data analytics techniques in modern vehicles on the driver and society in general, and discuss ethical and legal issues arising from the deployment of intelligent self-learning cars

Sitting behaviour-based pattern recognition for predicting driver fatigue

The proposed approach based on physiological characteristics of sitting behaviours and sophisticated machine learning techniques would enable an effective and practical solution to driver fatigue prognosis since it is insensitive to the illumination of driving environment, non-obtrusive to driver, without violating driver’s privacy, more acceptable by drivers

Diagnostics and correction of disregulation states by physical methods

Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland Ukrainian Research Institute for Medicine of Transport, Odesa, Ukraine Gorsha O. V., Gorsha V. I. Diagnostics and correction of disregulation states by physical methods Горша О. В., Горша В. И. Диагностика и коррекция физическими методами дизрегуляторных состояний Toruń, Odesa 2017 Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland Ukrainian Research Institute for Medicine of Transport, Odesa, Ukraine Gorsha O. V., Gorsha V. I. Diagnostics and correction of disregulation states by physical methods Горша О. В., Горша В. И. Диагностика и коррекция физическими методами дизрегуляторных состояний Toruń, Odesa 2017 Gorsha O. V., Gorsha V. I. Diagnostics and correction of disregulation states by physical methods. Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland, Ukrainian Research Institute for Medicine of Transport, Odesa, Ukraine. 2017. 80 p. Bibliography of 86 items. ISBN 9781387266524. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1000404 PBN Poland https://pbn.nauka.gov.pl/sedno-webapp/works/832669 Reviewers: dr hab. M. Napierała (Poland) dr hab. W. Zukow (Poland) The monograph is devoted to the diagnosis and medical correction of dysregulatory states which are often premorbid period of many diseases and can cause life-threatening conditions, the prevention of which is especially important for representatives of operator occupations. This monograph presents the results of own researches - overall results of decade-long following. © The Author(s) 2017. This monograph is published with Open Access. Open Access This articles is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited. Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes. Share Alike — If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one. Zawartość jest objęta licencją Creative Commons Uznanie autorstwa-Użycie niekomercyjne-Na tych samych warunkach 4.0 ISBN 9781387266524 DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1000404 PBN Poland https://pbn.nauka.gov.pl/sedno-webapp/works/832669 Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland Str. Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń, Poland www.umk.pl 80 p. Number of characters: 130 000 (with abstracts). Number of images: 10 x 1000 characters (lump sum) = 10 000 characters. Total: Number of characters: 140 000 (with abstracts, summaries and graphics) = 3,5 sheet publications. FOREWORD In connection with the global implications of technological and social disasters (mainly due to “human factor”), the relevance of the creation of the screening premorbid diagnostic, the evaluation of professional adaptation with a further corrective rehabilitation influence cannot be overestimated. Along with that, the modern realities are the deepening of political and socio-economic problems in Ukraine and progressive crisis in the world and they require not only the creation of high-tech, but also they need more accessible diacritical and reconstructive medical technologies. The monograph is devoted to the diagnosis and medical correction of dysregulatory states which are often premorbid period of many diseases and can cause life-threatening conditions, the prevention of which is especially important for representatives of operator occupations. This monograph presents the results of own researches - overall results of decade-long following. The fragment of the work, presented to your attention, of course, displays a wide range of possible diagnostic and correctional and rehabilitation approaches in dysregulating conditions only sectorally, but, we hope that it will be the beginning of the next phase of development of this direction. GORSHA OKSANA VIKTOROVNA Chief scientific officer, Head of clinical Department of medical rehabilitation, State enterprise "Ukrainian research Institute of t ransport medicine, Ministry health of Ukraine" Doctor of medical Sciences INTRODUCTION One of the important problems of modern medicine are research in the field of "medicine of the healthy person”, including analysis of negative influence of factors of industrial environment, studying of adaptation of organism, the formation of the intermediate functional states in the complicated conditions of the living environment and activities [1-6]. Within learning of intermediate functional states of the organism, the study of pathogenetic mechanisms of development of dysregulation and the understanding of their biological significance are crucial [5, 6, 7-10]. Special aspects of any dysregulation is the reduction of adaptation (or increasing of its price) and dysfunction of metabolic processes, which is manifested by the decrease of their variability and standardization of the underlying exchange mechanisms, but simplification of regulation is the path to dysregulation [11-19]. That is why, there are a few parameters as a somatic realization of dysregulatory state, primarily they are the autonomic dysfunction and disorders of biochemical stress continuum [1, 20-25]. In our researches we decided to study the functional and biochemical regulatory mechanisms of professional adaptation of transport operators to the effects of chronic informative stress by way of developing diagnostic criteria of objectification emerging dysregulatory states and pathogenetic substantiation of methodological approaches to their medical correction [8, 16, 20, 21, 26-34]. It is known that prenosological diagnostic requires higher medical experience, financial and time costs, as well as realization of extensive scientific and practical researches [1, 4, 5, 35, 36]. Apparently, this is the reason of ever-deepening crisis of preventive direction of our medicine and a similar trend we can see around the world. However, the identification and timely correction of intermediate functional states can prevent the formation of disease and syncope, which is especially important for representatives of the operator professions because degradation of their health may cause emergency situations [4, 37-40]. Over the past year in Ukraine there were recorded 153205 accidents, it means that every day there are almost 420 cases. The statistic of accidents with victims is also disappointing – there are 26160 cases in which 32352 4464 person were injured and killed, so there are correspondingly 89 and 12 person per day [41]. Among the causes of accidents leading place is taken by the "human factor" [39, 41, 42]. And at the same time, from all categories of transport operators, the group of drivers remains to the poorest category as to health and preventive supervision [39, 43-45]. According to the literature, professional activity of drivers associated with the impact on their body with a number of adverse factors [19, 39, 43-49], but the main component in a complex of production factors which are characteristic of this profession is high neuro-emotional overload [4, 39, 42, 43, 45, 46, 50]. The high voltage level of the labour of representatives of the operator professions create the preconditions for increasing the level of psychoemotional tension, which may go beyond adaptive system and accompanied by, in particular, disorders of the autonomic and biochemical regulation [8, 16, 20, 21, 46, 26-34]. The mechanism of transformation of psycho-emotional stress in the disease is complicated and requires subsequent in-depth study. In addition, the influence of age and experience of drivers on their health and professional characteristics is evident, however, in the available literature, the relevant data are rather contradictory [46, 51, 52, 48]. The limited use of many medications by individuals of transport operators professions should also be noted (particularly sedatives, antihistamines and other means), it happens due to the declining ability to respond rapidly to emergency situations [8, 27-29, 44]. The feasibility of reducing of drug component at premorbid stages of disease also necessitates the involvement and pre-formed physical factors in the complexes of their medical correction [8, 27-29, 45, 53]. Continuity between the diagnostic and remediation technology is a key issue, especially in preventive medicine, while only subject feedback and pathogenetic approach can ensure the elimination of violations and prevent them[27-29, 45, 54, 55]. Thus, in the basis of the research, the results of which we present to your attention, we put the development of a comprehensive system of prenosological diagnosis of dysregulatory states of the representatives of the operator professions (drivers) and methodological principles of corrective rehabilitation effect those are based on studying of additional pathogenetic mechanisms of dysregulation. CONCLUSION According to WHO about 1.3 million people are killed in the world every year in automobile accidents [41]. Among the causes of emergencies leading place is taken by 'the human factor', and the transport sector is among the most threatened in their creation [42, 39, 41]. However, along with increasing relevance of interventions in time to install and fix the deterioration of the health carrier of the number, and the population in general, we have to admit the decline of the preventive direction of medicine [56]. According to the sanitary-hygienic studies, including employees ' DP 'Ukrainian research Institute of transport medicine' – the conditions of the operator's labor lead to a negative impact on the body of an employee of the complex of adverse factors [19, 39, 43-49]. Among them special place takes informational stress (as operator activity associated with information overload combined with a lack of time or lack of information in conditions of high motivation of behavior) [4, 9, 16, 64, 67]. Giving psychophysiological characteristics of the working conditions of the driver (which relates to the operator's contingent), most authors emphasize that this profession requires simultaneous tracking of the real enough dynamic environment outside the cabin and vehicle control, fast and accurate response to the sudden appearance of new objects in the peripheral visual field [39, 44, 45, 48, 49, 62]. Such neuro-emotional stress sharply increases the likelihood of diseases of the nervous system, heart and vessels, up to disabling or fatal outcomes. Lack of exercise, feeding disorders, shift work, adverse physical and chemical factors of the working environment aggravated the negative effect of psycho-emotional stress [44, 46, 48, 51-53]. In view of the above – the influence of adverse working conditions on the health of operators of transport (including vehicle drivers) should also be considered from the standpoint of the role of acute and chronic stress. Adverse production factors (mainly factors of informational stress), causing a nonspecific adaptive response of the organism and leading to stress, reducing its capacity can be considered as etio-forming factors and dysregulation from the margin of the body's adaptation reserve, depends on the time reversibility of the results of their effects on the body [5, 7, 25, 28, 40]. Mechanisms and systems of humoral and autonomic regulation provide a measure of activation of processes of self-regulation of the activities of the functional systems of the body, the violation of which forms the substrate dysregulation pathology [1, 20-25]. That is why, as main markers dysregulatory states, we studied the metabolic state of biochemical stress continuum, autonomic regulation and the character of nonspecific adaptive reactions. The term 'dysregulatory state' we used in our works to refer to intermediate states of health, with the basis of the violation of the hierarchical mechanisms of regulation and the permanent current (unlike dysregulation syndrome). Also, in addition to violations of the regulatory mechanisms there is h a landmark character of the formation and accumulation of changes in dysregulatory states that through the mechanisms of sanogenesis transferred to pathogenic. I.e., dysregulatory states have a progressive (but potentially reversible) nature with possible transformation in dysregulation pathology [8, 16, 20, 21, 26-34]. Thus, the basis of the presented to your attention study was supposed rationale for an integrated system of prenosological diagnosis based on the study of additional pathogenic mechanisms for the formation of dysregulatory conditions in the operator's contingent of professional drivers of transport (depending on the length of their seniority and age) and corrective rehabilitation therapy. Depending on the vegetative, humoral and hormonal-metabolic disorders, disorders of adaptive reactions were established and systematized the criteria for identifying dysregulatory states and developed a comprehensive rehabilitation techniques of differentiated medical correction. In the Department of rehabilitation state enterprise "Ukrainian research Institute for medicine of transport" of Ukrainian Ministry of health in the period 2005-2014, we examined 330 drivers of sanitation and urban transport in the city of Odessa, with professional experience more than 10 years [28]. Depending on the age and duration of service, the contingent was divided into three representative experience-age group (criteria described above). The control group consisted of 28 almost healthy persons of similar age, other occupational categories. The carried out research showed that under the influence of adverse factors of production environment (primarily – chronic informational stress) operators of transport develops complex of progressive dysregulatory disorders. Persons have been examined the imbalance of synthesis-exchange-selection is investigated humoral-hormonal and metabolic regulation systems (nitric oxide, total catecholamines, uric acid), which correlated with the duration of their professional experience. If experience is from 10-15 years it was noted the intensification of metabolism of uric acid and nitrite simultaneously increasing their excretion and accumulation of total catecholamines in the blood, this phenomenon is intensified when experience is more than 15-20 years. Increase experience more than 25-30 years was accompanied by accumulation of uric acid and nitrite and lower levels of total catecholamines blood. Patients were also recorded the stage of disturbances of autonomic homeostasis, correlated with work experience: if experience is 10-15 years, there was the activation of both divisions of the ANS, which is enhanced as the work experience of more than 16-20 years; the professional experience over 25 years has been accompanied by an imbalance of activity of divisions of the ANS (predominance of parasympathetic tone of the and a decrease in the tonic influence of the sympathetic nervous system). The depletion of the mobilizing effects of the sympathetic division of the ANS, along with impaired humoral mechanisms of regulation contribute to the acquisition of a resistant nature dysregulatory disorders of drivers with professional experience of more than 25 years. Moreover, in the control group and according to the literature the nature of involutive changes of HRV indexes has the opposite character with increasing age, there is a decrease in parasympathetic influences and sympathetic. The results of the study of autonomic homeostasis in the study of sympathetic skin reflex according to electropunctural diagnostic and indicators of heart rate variability according сardiointervalography of vehicle drivers depending on the age and professional experience has shown that a high level of efferent vagal activity is a protective compensatory response of the neuroendocrine mechanisms of regulation for a long (from 10 to 25 years) actions together adverse occupational factors, which on the background of the depletion of the galvanizing influence of the sympathetic division of the ANS takes on the character of dysregulation and becomes resistant relatively to drivers which professional experience is more than 25-30 years. The study of general adaptive reactions of the organism found in 63% of cases the prevalence of adaptive reactions of a pathological nature (reaction 'reactivated', 'acute stress' and 'chronic stress'), and a favorable adaptive response ('training', and 'activation') in 87.5% of cases had signs of inferiority, which indicates the voltage of adaptive resources. Comparison of adaptive responses of leucogram according to the classification of the functional states of the organism according to R. M. Baevsky has allowed to establish that general adaptive reactions of the organism that characterize the intensification and stress adaptation processes, often recorded down to individuals way with experience from 10 to 15 years. Among drivers whose with 16 to 20 years of experience along with the reactions of stress a sharp increase in the ratio of reactions of reduction of adaptation. Breakdown of adaptation according to the characteristics of leukogram stated most often down to people with the most experience from 21-30 years. Morphological studies showed that the structural basis of dysregulatory disorders down to drivers way with professional experience more than 10 years changes in the cerebral cortex in the manifestations of encephalopathy: ganglion cell rarefactions and deposition, lysis chromatopelma substance of neurons, the phenomenon of satellitosis and neuronophagia, inhomogeneity of gliocytes, paresis or spasm of the vessels of the ICR. Thus, the study has allowed to establish that the transport operators with professional experience more than 10 years found changes in physiological regulatory mechanisms due to long and intensive exposure to adverse production factors and not only of involutional transformations. The compensatory nature of the original changes, prolonged psycho-emotional stress becomes maladjustment that requires adequate time and nature of the therapeutic activity. Depending on the vegetative, humoral and hormonal-metabolic disorders, disorders of adaptive reactions selected criteria of the stages of dysregulation, which can be interpreted as dysregulatory state. When there was the experience more than 10-20 years it was stated dysregulatory state 'Voltage', which was manifested by activation of the studied metabolic system (increasing synthesis of uric acid and nitrite, along with enhancing their excretion and increased levels of total catecholamines of blood), an excessive level of activation of sympathoadrenal and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system, a high level voltage adaptive reactions, tendencies to the depletion of adaptive resources of the organism. Studying drivers with experience more than 21-30 years it was stated dysregulatory condition of 'Burnout', which was manifested by the processes of accumulation of toxic metabolites and reduced activity of the investigated metabolic systems (deposition of uric acid and nitrite, the decrease in the level of total catecholamines of blood), a predominance of parasympathetic tone and a decrease in the tonic influence of the sympathetic nervous system, reaction of exhaustion and failure of adaptive resources of the organism. Generalization of the obtained results allows us to formulate the concept of dysregulatory states and the principles of correction and rehabilitation impact: the long influence of adverse factors (primarily, information stress), leads to an imbalance of hierarchical work divisions of the ANS and other regulatory systems. This leads, in particular, impaired regulation of vascular tone, transport functions of blood and lymphatic systems with the intensification of processes of synthesis-exchange-allocation and the subsequent accumulation of toxic metabolites. At the same time the increased need for oxygen and substrate provision metabolism of regulatory molecules in conjunction with the violation of the transport function of the circulatory system create preconditions for development of bioenergy (secondary functional) hypoxia. Hypoxia and the continued influence of the factors in the development of dysregulation leads to structural modifications of the relevant parts of the brain (encephalopathy). Damage of the substrate of the nervous regulation requires activation and compensatory adjustments in the work of nervous system. This, in turn, is aggravated by the imbalance of activity of departments of VNS and reorganization exchange of regulatory molecules. The result is a vicious cycle of dysregulation to overcome (break) which is unidirectional and single-action is impossible, it is needed a complete correction, which would include activities aimed at the restoration of control and the consequences of oxygen deficiency of the substrate. The principles of therapeutic interaction of such a complex should be based on the formation of a new functional stereotype, which provides: the restoration of control, elimination or reduction dysregulatory disorders, the formation of new connections functionally-dynamic system, aimed at compensation of the morphological defect and the consequences of substrate and oxygen deficit of the central and peripheral parts of the ne

Subjective Sleepiness Dynamics Dataset (SSDD) Presentation: the Study of Two Scales Consistency

While the first references to the system of sleepiness assessment are associated with medical re-search and the study of the effects of drugs on sleep, currently subjective sleepiness assessment is widely used across fundamental and practically oriented studies. The Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) are often used as ground truth in sleepiness re-search. Only a few studies applied both scales and practically none aimed at studying their con-sistency and specific features. The present study is devoted to analyzing the dynamics and con-sistency of subjective sleepiness as measured by the KSS and the SSS in the adult population. A particular task of the paper is to present the Subjective Sleepiness Dynamics Dataset (SSDD) with the evening and morning dynamics of situational subjective sleepiness. A total of 208 adults took part in the experiment. The results of the study revealed that sleepiness generally increased from evening till night and was maximal at early morning. The SSS score appeared to be more sensitive to some factors (e.g., the presence of sleep problems). The SSS and KSS scores were strongly consistent with each other. The KSS showed a generally more even distribution than the SSS. SSDD continues to be collected, we are going to equalize the sample by sex, we are actively adding older people. We plan to collect a sample of 1,000 people. Currently SSDD contains a lot of in-formation that can be used for scientific research.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, 3 table

Driving with obstructive sleep apnea policies, behaviors and screening measures

Le syndrome de l’apnée du sommeil (SAS) est un trouble grave qui se produit lorsque le débit respiratoire d'une personne est interrompu ou réduit de façon répétée pendant le sommeil, entraînant des baisses intermittentes de la saturation artérielle en oxygène. Le SAS a été caractérisé comme l'un des troubles médicaux les plus courants entraînant une somnolence diurne excessive. La somnolence et/ou la fatigue au volant sont des risques d'accidents de la route potentiellement mortels et peuvent remettre en question la capacité d’une personne à détenir un permis de conduire. Le SAS demeure un trouble du sommeil qui fait l'objet d'un large débat au sein des organismes responsables de la politique routière, en raison de nombreuses contradictions dans la littérature scientifique. Le but de cette thèse de doctorat est de revoir les positions des principaux pays leaders en matière des facultés de conduite des chez les conducteurs atteints du SAS et de proposer une approche d'évaluation au cas par cas qui tient compte des différences comportementales et des expériences individuelles chez ces patients. Nos travaux ont mis en lumière qu'il existe une variabilité au simulateur de conduite, sur les comportements au volant, ainsi que sur le nombre d’infractions commisses, entre les personnes atteintes du SAS. La fatigue joue également un rôle important dans les comportements de conduite qui semble refléter une expérience distincte de celle de la somnolence. De plus, notre étude ne révèle pas de profils de conduite différents entre les conducteurs atteint du SAS qui étaient adhérents ou non au traitement du trouble respiratoire du sommeil avec un appareil de pression positive continue; en effet les données n’ont pas mis en évidence de différence, soit une diminution de la fatigue, de la somnolence ou des infractions au code de la route après 6 mois de traitement. Enfin, notre étude suggère l’usage d’une nouvelle mesure, plus accessible que les examens routiers et aux tâches de simulateur de conduite, qui inventorierait les infractions au code de la route répertoriées par une agence gouvernementale officielle dans un contexte ciblé d’estimation des risques de conduite chez le sujet avec SAS. Cet outil simple, si un accès privilégié était disponible, pourrait être utile aux cliniciens pour aider à l’identification d’un conducteur à risque atteint du SAS et pourrait offrir aux cliniciens une alternative aux examens routiers et aux tâches de simulateur de conduite couteux et chronophages.Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious disorder that occurs when a person's flow of breathing is repeatedly interrupted or reduced during sleep, leading to intermittent drops in blood oxygen saturation. OSA has been characterized as among the most common of medical disorders causing excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleepiness and/or fatigue at the wheel are unquestionably a risk for potentially fatal road accidents and a cause for questioning one’s ability to hold a driver’s license. OSA remains a sleep disorder that is widely debated among traffic policy-makers due to conflicting research findings available to them. The present study reviews the position of leading driving policy-making countries regarding driving competence among individuals with OSA; it proposes a case-by-case assessment approach that considers experiential and behavioural individual differences among individuals with OSA. This study demonstrates that there is considerable variability both in the driving simulator task, on actual driving behaviors and the number of driving violations among individuals with OSA; this makes it difficult to identify a risk profile in the sample. Fatigue, as an experience distinct from sleepiness, appears to play a significant role in driving behaviors. In addition, the present data do not reveal different driving profiles between drivers with OSA who were either adherent or non-adherent to continuous positive air pressure treatment of the sleep disorder, nor do the data show that treatment decreases fatigue, sleepiness, or the number of self-reported driving violations after 6 months of treatment. Finally, this study introduces a new and more accessible measure that mirrors all possible violations listed by the official government driving agency. This simple tool can be useful for clinicians to help identify a risky driver with OSA and may present an alternative to expensive and time-consuming road tests and driving simulator tasks

Novel technologies for the detection and mitigation of drowsy driving

In the human control of motor vehicles, there are situations regularly encountered wherein the vehicle operator becomes drowsy and fatigued due to the influence of long work days, long driving hours, or low amounts of sleep. Although various methods are currently proposed to detect drowsiness in the operator, they are either obtrusive, expensive, or otherwise impractical. The method of drowsy driving detection through the collection of Steering Wheel Movement (SWM) signals has become an important measure as it lends itself to accurate, effective, and cost-effective drowsiness detection. In this dissertation, novel technologies for drowsiness detection using Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) are investigated and described. IMUs are an umbrella group of kinetic sensors (including accelerometers and gyroscopes) which transduce physical motions into data. Driving performances were recorded using IMUs as the primary sensors, and the resulting data were used by artificial intelligence algorithms, specifically Support Vector Machines (SVMs) to determine whether or not the individual was still fit to operate a motor vehicle. Results demonstrated high accuracy of the method in classifying drowsiness. It was also shown that the use of a smartphone-based approach to IMU monitoring of drowsiness will result in the initiation of feedback mechanisms upon a positive detection of drowsiness. These feedback mechanisms are intended to notify the driver of their drowsy state, and to dissuade further driving which could lead to crashes and/or fatalities. The novel methods not only demonstrated the ability to qualitatively determine a drivers drowsy state, but they were also low-cost, easy to implement, and unobtrusive to drivers. The efficacy, ease of use, and ease of access to these methods could potentially eliminate many barriers to the implementation of the technologies. Ultimately, it is hoped that these findings will help enhance traveler safety and prevent deaths and injuries to users

The assessment of older drivers' capabilities: a review of the literature

Notes: For the GM/US DOT project entitled: Improvement of Older Driver Safety Through Self-EvaluationFull Text: http://www.umtri.umich.edu/library/pdf/1998-24.pdfGeneral Motors Corporation, Warren, Mich.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/1245/2/91182.0001.001.pd

The role of social marketing in addressing the treatment of driving anger:A cognitive approach

Driving anger is a topic of continued interest and is one that receives constant public and academic attention. Anger in traffic is an emotion that has a negative impact on driver behaviour; it might distract a driver’s attention from driving and cause dangerous behaviour toward the source of anger. In response to this issue, several studies on driving anger have focused on understanding this phenomenon from different angles, including personal factors, situational factors, measurements of anger in traffic and treatment of driving anger. Surprisingly, the treatment of anger in traffic has generally been neglected. Most existing driving anger interventions, such as cognitive, relaxation, and behavioural interventions, are psychotherapeutic and target mainly high-anger drivers. While these interventions are promising, the main limitation of such an approach is not being able to target the larger community and offer wide prevention programs.Therefore, the primary purpose of this thesis is to provide an overarching understanding of the driving anger issue in Saudi Arabia to develop social marketing interventions. To achieve such aim, Lazarus’ Cognitive–Motivational–Relational (CMR) model and the principles of social marketing were used to better understand anger in traffic as well as to provide comprehensive direction and structure for the intervention. A mixed methods approach was used to provide empirical investigation of the issue, and therefore the thesis was divided into three studies. First, environmental factors were explored using primary research in the form of a qualitative inquiry. Twelve drivers were interviewed in this phase to identify the type of traffic situation that is most likely to provoke anger and to investigate how they evaluated their incidents. The main finding of the first study was that the harm or disrespect caused by another road user is the main source of anger in traffic. The second study was a quantitative phase that sought to understand the personality factor and coping strategies by using an adapted questionnaire. A total of 652 respondents provided information about the common driving style in Saudi Arabia, which is impatient driving, and how this style negatively affected their driving performance. In third study, the researcher interviewed 18 selected drivers to examine their underlying beliefs, values and attitudes associated with the developed intervention. From a driver’s point of view, reducing the negative effect of environmental factors should be the key focus of the intervention.Therefore, the treatment should depart from targeting individual level only and offer an intervention that minimise the negative effect of external factors alongside training drivers how to cope with them effectively