Training Novice Drivers to Shorten Distraction Time. Traffic Safety Facts, Traffic Tech - Technology Transfer Series, Number 387

摘要

Evidence in the field and on driving simulators suggests that when conducting secondary in-vehicle tasks, teen drivers are much more likely to glance inside the vehicle for long periods of time than are more experienced drivers. Such periods of distraction appear highly related to crashes and near crashes for drivers of all ages, but especially for teen drivers. Simply training drivers never to glance inside the vehicle, however, could be unsafe since glances at gauges and mirrors might actually serve to decrease crash risk. Also, given the large number of distractions in modern vehicles (e.g., radio/entertainment systems, cellular phones), it would be naive to think that drivers would voluntarily ignore the temptation to look away from the forward roadway while they are driving. This suggests the need for a training program that emphasizes the importance of minimizing distractions but also helps drivers learn to distribute the time that they do spend on in-vehicle tasks into more frequent and shorter glances instead of several long glances. Two studies are described here that document the development and evaluation of such a training program.