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

Evaluation of a sudden brake warning system: Effect on the response time of the following driver

This study used a video-based braking simulation dual task to carry out a preliminary evaluation of the effect of a sudden brake warning system (SBWS) in a leading passenger vehicle on the response time of the following driver. The primary task required the participants (N = 25, 16 females, full NZ license holders) to respond to sudden braking manoeuvres of a lead vehicle during day and night driving, wet and dry conditions and in rural and urban traffic, while concurrently performing a secondary tracking task using a computer mouse. The SBWS in the lead vehicle consisted of g-force controlled activation of the rear hazard lights (the rear indicators flashed), in addition to the standard brake lights. Overall, the results revealed that responses to the braking manoeuvres of the leading vehicles when the hazard lights were activated by the warning system were 0.34 s (19%) faster compared to the standard brake lights. The SBWS was particularly effective when the simulated braking scenario of the leading vehicle did not require an immediate and abrupt braking response. Given this, the SBWS may also be beneficial for allowing smoother deceleration, thus reducing fuel consumption. These preliminary findings justify a larger, more ecologically valid laboratory evaluation which may lead to a naturalistic study in order to test this new technology in ‘real world’ braking situations

Telemetric longitudinal measurement of young driver behaviour

New Zealand is one of the few countries that currently allows teenagers to become solo drivers at 15 ½ years of age. During their first six months of solo driving, these teenagers are 19 times more likely to crash compared to the period of supervised driving. The behaviour of these adolescent drivers represents the single largest cause of fatalities in that age group and is widely acknowledged as one of the most serious social issues facing New Zealand. This state of affairs, often referred to as ‘the young driver problem,’ with an over representation of young drivers in motor vehicle crashes, is not unique to New Zealand. In fact, a similar situation can be found inmost of the world’s developed nations

The effects of road commentary training on novice drivers' visual search behaviour: A preliminary investigation

One of the major challenges facing novice drivers seems to be adequately scanning, detecting, and responding to hazards which present during the course of everyday driving; a process that involves ‘reading the road’ and modifying driver behaviour accordingly. Previous studies have indicated that inexperienced drivers tend to utilise only a small proportion of the visual field when driving, and this limited visual search behaviour may play a significant role in the over-representation of young novice drivers’ involvement in crashes. This deficiency in visual search is especially evidenced through crashes occurring at intersections, or other densely populated road environments. More recently, road commentary has become of interest within a number of driver education initiatives, and several current studies have indicated that road commentary indeed improves drivers’ performance in hazard perception tasks. However, relatively little is known about commentaries influence on the underlying cognitive mechanisms responsible for enhanced situation awareness or hazard awareness, and whether such improvements generalize to a broader range of road scenarios. Using hazard perception and eye-tracking measures, we started to examine how road commentary could influence the way drivers visually accrue and process essential road information. First, our data confirmed that commentary training significantly increased the percentage of hazards identified. But additionally, preliminary eye movement data indicated that road commentary may have influenced visual search behaviour of the participants by ‘prompting’ them to allocate extra visual attention capacity to hazard rich areas, as evidenced by an increase of their fixation clusters across the visual field. This could help increase situation awareness, and convert to safer driving behaviour and reduced risk-taking

Examining the link between information processing speed and executive functioning in multiple sclerosis

Slowed information processing speed (IPS) is frequently reported in those with multiple sclerosis (MS), and at least 20% are compromised on some aspect of executive functioning also. However, any relationship between these two processes has not been examined. The Sternberg Memory Scanning Test, Processing Speed Index (WAIS-III), Delis Kaplan Executive Function System (D.KEFS), and Working Memory Index (WMS-III) were administered to 90 participants with MS. Their performance on the PSI was significantly below the normative scores but no deficits in memory scanning speed were evident. The initial response speed of the Sternberg and the PSI were more closely related to D.KEFS performance, particularly in timed tasks with a high cognitive demand (switching tasks). In contrast, memory scanning speed was related to working memory. This study reinforces the link between IPS and working memory in MS, and supports the suggestion that IPS is not a unitary construct

Subthreshold Toxic Effects of Atrazine and Three Degradates on Behavior in Procambarus clarkii

Atrazine is among the most heavily applied pesticides worldwide, and recent evidence suggests that it may be unsafe at environmental levels. It is a known endocrine disruptor and a suggested neurotoxin. The US EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) is 3 μg/L for human ingestion and 200 μg/L for limited human exposure. Several environmentally persistent degradates have been identified, including deethylatrazine (DEA), deisopropylatrazine (DIA) and hydroxyatrazine (HA). No MCLs have been established for these degradates, although some are suggested toxins. Thus, there remains concern for the risk associated with the presence of atrazine and its degradates in the environment. Currently little data exist describing sublethal effects of atrazine and its degradates. Fortunately, toxicological research has evolved past dependency on mortality measures to incorporate sophisticated behavioral studies that can elucidate the effects of sublethal exposure to toxins. The goal of this research was to use such parameters to quantify the subthreshold (below the level at which harm is immediately detected) toxic effects of atrazine, DEA, DIA and HA on learning and behavior in Procambarus clarkii (red swamp crayfish), a sensitive bioindicator species. Crayfish were placed in an aquatic Tmaze (classic method to test cognitive ability) with a food reward in a side arm. Various behavioral endpoints were recorded over repeated trials, including time to reward, time to reward arm, percent of crayfish to not locate reward arm, time spent in the under cover area, and time needed to complete ~180° turnarounds. Concentrations of the chemicals tested represented an environmentally realistic range. Each treatment level of atrazine, DEA, DIA and HA resulted in significant deficits compared to control for at least two behavioral endpoints. Furthermore, a nonmonotonic dose-response was observed for atrazine. Based on these results, crayfish exposed to atrazine and each degradate at low, biologically relevant doses had impaired boldness and explorative behavior compared to control. Thus, crayfish exposed to these contaminants in natural environments will have impaired abilities to locate food, find mates, and avoid predation, which will have a profound impact on their ability to survive. These implications extend beyond crayfish, a keystone species, to include any species that rely on them as a food source or as a source of vital energy to the ecosystem via their roles as detritus shredders

Piloting a telemetric data tracking system to assess post-training real driving performance of young novice drivers

Evaluating the effects of driver training interventions is a difficult research task. The ultimate goal of such interventions is to make the driver safer and therefore less likely to be involved in a road crash. A particular driver training intervention can only be considered to be effective if it can show a significant reduction in the number crashes for the driver, or a significant change in driver behaviour that clearly implies safer driving. Getting accurate and comprehensive crash records is difficult and to measure post training behavioural driving changes based on selfreports (e.g., log books) may not be accurate enough to be statistically meaningful

Species Limits and Phylogeography of North American Cricket Frogs (Acris: Hylidae)

Cricket frogs are widely distributed across the eastern United States and two species, the northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) and the southern cricket frog (A. gryllus) are currently recognized. We generated a phylogenetic hypothesis for Acris using fragments of nuclear and mitochondrial genes in separate and combined phylogenetic analyses. We also used distance methods and fixation indices to evaluate species limits within the genus and the validity of currently recognized subspecies of A. crepitans. The distributions of existing A. crepitans subspecies, defined by morphology and call types, do not match the distributions of evolutionary lineages recovered using our genetic data. We discuss a scenario of call evolution to explain this disparity. We also recovered distinct phylogeographic groups within A. crepitans and A. gryllus that are congruent with other codistributed taxa. Under a lineage-based species concept, we recognize Acris blanchardi as a distinct species. The importance of this revised taxonomy is discussed in light of the dramatic declines in A. blanchardi across the northern and western portions of its range

The Influence of Prices on the Persistence of Adult Undergraduates

We would like to thank the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the University of New Orleans College of Education for research grants supporting this research. The views expressed in this paper are the authors and do not represent official policies or positions of NASFAA or the University of New Orleans. This article examines the influence of tuition charges and the amounts of grants, loans, and work awarded on within-year persistence by adult undergraduate students (over 22 years of age) enrolled in public and private four-year colleges. The findings include: 1) adult undergraduates are more likely to be from disadvantaged backgrounds than traditional college-age students; 2) adult undergraduates seem to be more responsive to tuition charges than traditional college-age students; and 3) adults enrolled in public colleges are more sensitive to tuition charges than those enrolled in private colleges

Forest Nursery Practices in the Southern United States

Over the past five decades, researchers in the southern United States have been working with nursery managers to develop ways to reduce the cost of producing seedlings. In this regard, the Southern Forest Nursery Management Cooperative (at Auburn University in Alabama) has helped reduce hand-weeding costs and losses due to nematodes and disease. As a result, nursery managers are able to legally use a variety of registered herbicides and fungicides for use in pine and hardwood seedbeds.  Other changes over the last three decades include a reduction in the number of nurseries growing seedlings, a reduction in the number of seedlings outplanted per ha, an increase in the number of container nurseries, an increase in the average production per nursery, an increase in production by the private sector, growing two or more crops after fumigation, the development of synthetic soil stabilizers, applying polyacrylamide gels to roots and the use of seedling bags and boxes for shipping seedlings