A Review of Research on Driving Styles and Road Safety

Objective: To outline a conceptual framework for understanding driving style and, based on this, review the state-of-the-art research on driving styles in relation to road safety.</br></br> Background: Previous research has indicated a relationship between the driving styles adopted by drivers and their crash involvement. However, a comprehensive literature review of driving style research is lacking. </br></br> Method: A systematic literature search was conducted, including empirical, theoretical and methodological research on driving styles related to road safety. </br></br> Results: A conceptual framework was proposed where driving styles are viewed in terms of driving habits established as a result of individual dispositions as well as social norms and cultural values. Moreover, a general scheme for categorising and operationalizing driving styles was suggested. On this basis, existing literature on driving styles and indicators was reviewed. Links between driving styles and road safety were identified and individual and socio-cultural factors influencing driving style were reviewed. </br></br> Conclusion: Existing studies have addressed a wide variety of driving styles, and there is an acute need for a unifying conceptual framework in order to synthesise these results and make useful generalisations. There is a considerable potential for increasing road safety by means of behaviour modification. Naturalistic driving observations represent particularly promising approaches to future research on driving styles. </br></br> Application: Knowledge about driving styles can be applied in programmes for modifying driver behaviour and in the context of usage-based insurance. It may also be used as a means for driver identification and for the development of driver assistance systems

Factors contributing to the decline in the number of heavy goods vehicles involved in injury accidents in Norway from 2007 to 2020

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Elvik, R., Nævestad, T.-O., Sagberg, F., Storesund Hesjevoll, I., & Hovi, I. B. (2022). Factors contributing to the decline in the number of heavy goods vehicles involved in injury accidents in Norway from 2007 to 2020. Traffic Safety Research, 2, 000020. https://doi.org/10.55329/doiy5780There has been a large decline in the number of police reported injury accidents on public roads in Norway after 2007. The decline has been particularly large for accidents involving heavy goods vehicles. From 2007 to 2020, the number of heavy goods vehicles involved in injury accidents declined by 68%. The total number of injury accidents declined by 56%. The study presented in this paper aimed to identify factors explaining the decline from 2007 to 2020 in the number of heavy goods vehicles involved in injury accidents in Norway. This is done by reconstructing annual changes in factors known to influence the number of accidents and estimating the potential impacts of changes in these factors. The factors identified can only be regarded as potential causes, as the study design does not permit causal inferences. In total, 14 factors were identified. For 12 factors numerical estimates of the contributions to the declining trend were developed. The combined contribution of all factors accounted for 32.6%–37.5% of the decline in the number of heavy vehicles involved in injury accidents. More than 60% of the decline is not accounted for and must have been caused by factors not included in this study.Factors contributing to the decline in the number of heavy goods vehicles involved in injury accidents in Norway from 2007 to 2020publishedVersio

Recommendations for a large-scale European naturalistic driving observation study. PROLOGUE Deliverable D4.1.

Naturalistic driving observation is a relatively new research method using advanced technology for in-vehicle unobtrusive recording of driver (or rider) behaviour during ordinary driving in traffic. This method yields unprecedented knowledge primarily related to road safety, but also to environmentally friendly driving/riding and to traffic management. Distraction, inattention and sleepiness are examples of important safety-related topics where naturalistic driving is expected to provide great added value compared to traditional research methods. In order to exploit the full benefits of the naturalistic driving approach it is recommended to carry out a large-scale European naturalistic driving study. The EU project PROLOGUE has investigated the feasibility and value of carrying out such a study, and the present deliverable summarises recommendations based on the PROLOGUE project

Towards a large scale European Naturalistic Driving study: final report of PROLOGUE: deliverable D4.2

Naturalistic Driving (ND) studies represent the state of the art in traffic safety research and can be defined as studies undertaken to provide insight into driver behaviour during every day trips by recording details of the driver, the vehicle and the surroundings through unobtrusive data gathering equipment and without experimental control. Typically, in an ND study passenger cars, preferably the subjects' own cars, are equipped with several small cameras and sensors. For several months to several years, these devices continuously and inconspicuously register vehicle manoeuvres (like speed, acceleration/deceleration, direction), driver behaviour (like eye, head and hand manoeuvres), and external conditions (like road, traffic and weather characteristics). Thus, the ND approach allows us to observe and analyse the interrelationship between driver, vehicle, road and other traffic in normal situations, in conflict situations and in actual crashes. This type of information is not just useful for reducing road transport casualties, but also for reducing the environmental burden of road transport, and for reducing congestion. ND studies are not limited to passenger cars since vans and trucks can also be studied in a naturalistic way. Similarly, motorcycles can be equipped: naturalistic riding. The specific problems of pedestrians and cyclists can be studied based on observations from the vehicle. However for this application, naturalistic site-based observations can be a useful addition

Characteristics of fatal road crashes involving unlicensed drivers or riders: Implications for countermeasures

Drivers or riders without a valid license are involved in 10% of fatal road crashes in Norway. This was shown by an analysis of data from all fatal crashes in the period 2005–2014. A literature review shows that unlicensed drivers have a considerably increased crash risk. Such crashes could be prevented by electronic driver authentication, i.e., a technical system for checking that a driver or rider has legal access to a vehicle before driving is permitted. This can be done by requiring the driver/rider to identify themselves with a national identity number and a unique code or biometric information before driving may commence. The vehicle thereafter verifies license availability and vehicle access by communication with a central register. In more than 80% of fatal crashes with unlicensed drivers/riders, speeding and/or drug influence contributed to the crash. This means that a majority of crashes with unlicensed drivers alternatively could be prevented by already available systems, such as alcolock and speed limit dependent speed adapters. These systems will have a wider influence, by preventing crashes also among licensed drivers. Mandatory implementation of alcolock, speed limiter, and electronic driver authentication in all motorized vehicles is estimated to prevent up to 28% of fatal road crashes, depending on effectiveness of the systems.acceptedVersio

HHigh-Risk Groups and High-Risk Behavior in Road Traffic, 2007

The project aims to find behavioral explanations for the high risk of accidents in road traffic, as a basis for targeted traffic safety measures. In light of the “zero-vision” the focus is on behaviors related to the risk of serious accidents. Drivers are implicated in approx. 85 % of all fatalities, and the main focus will be on this group's risk of interaction with other road users. Among drivers, for instance, both the youngest and the oldest particularly high risk. The project is based on existing models and theories of road user behaviour. The following themes and issues are covered: - Definition of high-risk groups and high-risk behaviors. - Description of risk groups based on behavioral dimensions. - Assessment of safety measures in the light of new knowledge about risk -related behavior . - Risk Groups and traffic interaction: Is the risk of certain groups particularly associated with the interaction with other high-risk groups ? - The potential for intelligent transportation systems ( ITS) in relation to high-risk behaviors . - Assessment of implications for the design of the road system: What it means to add high-risk groups' limitations as a basis for design of the road system ( signage, markings, road geometry)? Work on SIP have to date included: - Analysis of various road user groups' involvement in fatal accidents last 10 years . - Literature study on risk behavior and risk groups to gain knowledge about the relative risks and exposure - calculation of " population attributable risk " for various risk factors, ERET measure of the theoretical expected accident reduction by eliminating a risk factor. - Analysis of selected risk factors and publication of articles from these analyzes , so far four articles are internationally published. The present study includes a survey answered by drivers involved in automobile accidents where damage has been reported to insurance companies

Characteristics of fatal road crashes involving unlicensed drivers or riders: Implications for countermeasures

Drivers or riders without a valid license are involved in 10% of fatal road crashes in Norway. This was shown by an analysis of data from all fatal crashes in the period 2005–2014. A literature review shows that unlicensed drivers have a considerably increased crash risk. Such crashes could be prevented by electronic driver authentication, i.e., a technical system for checking that a driver or rider has legal access to a vehicle before driving is permitted. This can be done by requiring the driver/rider to identify themselves with a national identity number and a unique code or biometric information before driving may commence. The vehicle thereafter verifies license availability and vehicle access by communication with a central register. In more than 80% of fatal crashes with unlicensed drivers/riders, speeding and/or drug influence contributed to the crash. This means that a majority of crashes with unlicensed drivers alternatively could be prevented by already available systems, such as alcolock and speed limit dependent speed adapters. These systems will have a wider influence, by preventing crashes also among licensed drivers. Mandatory implementation of alcolock, speed limiter, and electronic driver authentication in all motorized vehicles is estimated to prevent up to 28% of fatal road crashes, depending on effectiveness of the systems

Effects of a penalty point system on traffic violations

We analysed data from the Norwegian driver’s licence penalty point register over a three-year period, in order to investigate whether the number of incurred penalty points in a given time period can predict the probability of incurring additional points in the subsequent period. Data for all category B drivers without penalty points at the start of the study period were included in the analyses. Norway’s penalty point system implies that speeding and various other traffic violations result in two or three penalty points for full-license drivers and four or six points for probationary-license drivers. Eight points within a three-year period results in a six-month disqualification. Two hypotheses were formulated: 1) A “driving style effect” implying that drivers with previous penalty points have a higher probability of incurring new points than drivers without previous points; and 2) a “deterrence effect” implying that drivers with more than four points have a reduced probability of incurring new points, due to impending risk of license revocation. Results showed an inverted U-shaped relationship between number of penalty points incurred during a one-year period and the number of additional penalty points incurred in the subsequent year, with the highest number for drivers with four previous points. Thus, both hypotheses were clearly supported, and it is concluded that the penalty point system has a significant deterring effect for drivers who are at high risk of losing their license at the next infraction.acceptedVersio

Self-reported deterrence effects of the Norwegian driver's licence penalty point system

Norway’s penalty point system implies that traffic infractions are penalised with two or three points for full-licence drivers and four or six points for probationary-licence drivers, and when a total of eight points is reached within a three-year period the licence is revoked for a duration of six months. A web-based questionnaire was administered to four different driver samples based on number of acquired penalty points: (a) drivers with no points (n = 1206), (b) full-licence drivers with two or three points (n = 190), (c) full-licence drivers with four points or more (n = 172), and (d) probationary-licence drivers with four points or more (n = 193). Drivers with penalty points had better knowledge about the penalty points than those without penalty points. Drivers with four points or more, which means that they are close to the disqualification limit, to a greater extent replied that they have become more law-abiding, compared to those with few or no points. Also drivers without points reported that their driving was influenced by fear of penalty points. Thus, the penalty point system seems to have both a specific perceived deterrence effect on drivers who are at a high risk of losing their licence, and a general perceived deterrence effect on drivers without penalty points.acceptedVersio

Kuljettajiin vaikuttaminen liikenneympäristön suunnittelulla : TÖI-raportin 648/2003 käännös

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