The safety benefit of retro-reflective markings on HGVs and buses: partial RIA – preliminary report.

The objective of the measure is to reduce death and serious injury resulting from collisions involving large vehicles. This will be achieved by making these vehicles more conspicuous to other road users, especially at night. This assessment estimates the costs and benefits associated with the proposal that hazard markings consistent with UNECE R104 should be required for all new heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses under Regulation 48. The assessment considers commercial vehicles exceeding 3.5, 7.5 and 12 tonnes and on all new buses and coaches fitted with more than 22 passenger seats. The assessment was undertaken as a preparatory activity prior to formal consultation with relevant stakeholders

Impact of conversational demand on driver distraction

This article concisely describes three experiments testing the effects of auditory/cognitive distraction deriving from levels of conversational demand. In the pilot study, 8 participants drove three simulated routes with and without the task of holding a conversation with the experimenter. In the pilot experiment, 8 participants drove three different virtual routes with and without conversing with the experimenter. In experiment 1, 24 participants drove one virtual route under three conditions: no interaction with the experimenter, holding an informal conversation and holding a conversation concerning issues at work. The same design was repeated in the second experiment, with the difference that the 12 participants were tested on the Lane Change Task (Mattes, 2003). The results suggest a significant effect for conversation on driver ability to control the vehicle laterally, as well as a differentiation between conversation topics

Comparison of subjective workload ratings and performance measures of a reference IVIS task

The aim of this study was to establish subjective workload ratings (NASA-TLX) for the ADAM surrogate reference task (SURT) and compare them to ratings of a test battery of real IVIS tasks while participants performed a surrogate of the driving task (Lane Change Task). The results indicated that subjective workload ratings were comparable for both the real and reference tasks, performance measures were significantly correlated with measures of subjective workload and that performance of the secondary reference task declined as task difficulty increased. Reasons for the pattern of results are discussed

The determination of acccessible taxi requirements

This report describes the results of a programme of ergonomic research undertaken to provide a scientific basis for the generation of regulations concerned with the introduction of accessible taxis in the UK. Accessibility was characterised as the ability to accommodate a broad range of non-disabled and mobility impaired passengers in reasonable safety and comfort. Two critical aspects of the brief were that the research should not be constrained by current vehicle design and that a ‘design-for-all’ specification should be assumed as a goal. However, the brief did not task the researchers with proposing specific design solutions. Following a literature review and a series of consultation exercises assessment trials were conducted with large sample of mobility impaired participants and a fully adjustable test rig. The results of these assessments were analysed in detail to provide recommendations on the dimensions and characteristics that would make future taxis accessible to the majority of potential passengers. Further recommendations were proposed on the basis of existing knowledge, best practice and current requirements and guidance. The research established that the floor height, door height and internal space (floor and head room) of current purpose built taxis represent significant barriers to accessibility

Roadsense: a common approach to the evaluation of Human Vehicle Interaction (HVI)

The current development of in-vehicle systems intended to support the driver (ACC, Navigation, GSM telephony and traffic information services) have also introduced significant challenges relating to system integration, driver workload management and the potential for driver distraction. There have been a number of responses to this challenge. The European Commission has produced a Statement of Principles on in- vehicle HMI (1) and this has been recently matched by a similar recommendation from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in the USA(2). However, the human factors research community has recognised that progress in this area is currently limited by a lack of agreement on the required tools, procedures and techniques

FESTA. D6.3. FOT requirements, legal aspects planning and development

The FESTA Support Action Questionnaire to collect stakeholders' needs and indications on Field Operational Tests was a part of FESTA Task T6.1 – Analysis of the different stakeholders and their needs, relevant aspects and requirements on different level of FOT deployment. The questionnaire question sets were designed in cooperation between VTT and CRF during November-December 2007. The survey was performed by VTT through a web survey tool “SurveyMonkey”, which serves several purposes: e.g. designing surveys, collecting responses, sending invitations and reminders and downloading or analysing the results. The web survey was opened on 13th December 2007, right after the FESTA Stakeholder Workshop in Brussels. The opening of the survey was announced to the target group members by an email invitation which included an individual hyperlink to the survey. The recipient list for the invitation was mostly based on the Stakeholder Workshop attendance list that was supplemented by CRF and VTT with the other known FOT stakeholders. Two reminder email rounds were sent out to those who had received an invitation to the survey but had not responded – the first one on 21st December 2007 and the final one on 10th January 2008. The survey was closed on 24th January 2008. The results reported are synthesised from the answers given by the respondents on the questions, which are given in Appendix 1. Next to the presentation of the results, some conclusions are drawn

A checklist for planning and implementing Field Operational Tests of Intelligent Transport Systems

Improved knowledge is needed to understand how drivers use intelligent transport systems, the short- and long-term effects of these systems, and how system performance can be optimized. The Field Operational Test, or FOT, is a powerful evaluation method that can be used to answer these and other questions. Although large-scale FOTs conducted in the past have yielded important knowledge, there is scope for improving the design and implementation of them. In this paper a checklist is presented that outlines the critical steps and considerations involved in successfully planning and implementing a FOT. It derives from work previously undertaken in the European Commission (EC)-funded FESTA (Field opErational teSt support Action) project

Planning and implementing field operational tests of intelligent transport systems: a checklist derived from the EC FESTA project

To date, the main focus of intelligent transport systems (ITS) research programmes has been on technology development and proof of concept, rather than on understanding the implications of system implementation. Improved knowledge is needed about the ways in which drivers use ITS, their short- and long-term effects and how system performance can be optimised. The field operational test, or FOT, is a sophisticated evaluation method that can be used to answer these and other critical questions, and to stimulate market acceptance and demand for ITS. Although the large-scale FOTs conducted to date have yielded important insights into both the positive and potentially negative impacts of ITS, there is considerable scope for improving the design and implementation of FOTs. There are many advantages in doing so. The authors outline, in the form of a checklist, the critical steps and considerations involved in successfully planning and implementing an FOT, drawing on work undertaken in the EC-funded FESTA (Field opErational TeSt support Action) project

Assessment of the safety benefit of retro reflective markings on HGVs and buses.

Assessment of the safety benefit of retro reflective markings on HGVs and buses

Drivers' willingness to engage with their mobile phone: the influence of phone function and road demand

Drivers normally elect whether or not to engage with a secondary task while driving. This study aimed to determine whether drivers’ willingness to engage with their mobile phone is affected by demands from the roadway environment and if these effects are more pronounced for some phone functions compared with others. Fifteen video clips were played to 20 participants representing different road scenarios, and therefore demands, such as driving on an empty auto route or turning right on a main arterial road. The participants then used three point Likert scales to rate their willingness to place or answer a call and send or read a text and a five point scale to rate the perceived riskiness of placing and answering a call only. Participants were also asked to think aloud when making their judgements so further insight could be gained. It was found that willingness to engage was affected by both the perceived roadway demands and the phone function under consideration. The perceived riskiness also affected willingness to engage when placing a call only. The think aloud element indicated the participants’ reasoning behind these findings as well as identifying possible future areas of research