Developing and testing a hazard prediction task for novice drivers: A novel application of naturalistic driving videos

Differences in drivers' risk behaviour behind the wheel in relation to road risk perception: Insights from a study on a group of Polish car drivers

Numerous risky driving behaviours are considered the main causes of road accidents. Meanwhile, a number of studies conducted so far indicate that perceiving a higher risk in a certain behaviour is associated with a lower tendency to engage in that behaviour. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to examine whether there are differences in specific types of risky behaviours behind the wheel in relation to drivers' perceptions of road risk. The Road Traffic Behaviour Questionnaires KZD and KZD-P were used to evaluate, respectively, different risky behaviours and risk perceptions in road traffic. Two groups of Polish car drivers with similar average KZD scores but significantly different KZD-P scores, i.e., higher vs. lower, were compared. The profiles of the answers were statistically analysed. It was found that drivers with a lower risk perception were far more likely to engage in those behaviours that are the most commonly reported and directly endanger road safety, e.g., speeding and running a red light. Simultaneously, there were several unsafe driving behaviours, e.g., driving without a seatbelt or speaking on a mobile phone while driving, which were taken regardless of risk perception, i.e., even by the drivers who were aware of their riskiness. The results suggest that risk perception is a significant factor in preventing not all types but only selected hazardous behaviours in road traffic. The significance of the findings for traffic safety as well as ideas for further research in this area are discussed.

Assessing the Road Traffic Crashes among Novice Female Drivers in Saudi Arabia

Background: Recently (in 2018), females were legally allowed to drive and use automobiles in Saudi Arabia (SA) for the first time. This study investigated and analyzed the general fear of driving (GFDS), perceived self-confidence (PSCR), socio-economic variables, demographic distribution, and self-reported RTCs in novice female drivers from SA. Methods: The work was based on survey responses from 9608 participants from the first generation of female drivers from SA. Factor analysis was used to extract GFDS and PSCR scales. Results: Cronbach’s α values of 0.781 and 0.800 were observed for GFDS and PSCR, respectively. Logistic regression was employed to model road traffic collisions (RTCs) as a function of all significant variables. The results showed that of the 17.4% of geographically distributed respondents who reported RTCs, only 4% reported severe or minor injuries, and the rest (96.0%) of the accidents involved property damage. The GFDS and PSCR values showed a positive association with the RTCs of novice female drivers. Furthermore, age was not a significant influencing factor in the RTCs of novice female drivers. However, exposure factors were positively associated with the risk of RTC involvement. Conclusions: Female novice drivers who were single, divorced/widowed, employed, and had higher individual incomes were at higher risk of getting into RTCs. The female drivers who hired personal trainers, compared to those who did not, exhibited similar chances of getting involved in RTCs. An extra on-road in-traffic driving lesson is suggested to be included in the new-driver license training program for drivers with higher GFDS in SA.

Skin Conductance Responses of Learner and Licensed Drivers During a Hazard Perception Task

Background: While advanced driver assistance technologies have the potential to increase safety, there is concern that driver inattention resulting from overreliance on these features may result in crashes. Driver monitoring technologies to assess a driver’s state may be one solution. The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend the research on physiological responses to common driving hazards and examine how these may differ based on driving experience.

Methods: Learner and Licensed drivers viewed a Driving Hazard Perception Task while electrodermal activity (EDA) was measured. The task presented 30 Event (hazard develops) and 30 Non-Event (routine driving) videos. A skin conductance response (SCR) score was calculated for each participant based on the percentage of videos that elicited an SCR.

Results: Analysis of the SCR score during Event videos revealed a medium effect (d = 0.61) of group differences, whereby Licensed drivers were more likely to have an SCR than Learner drivers. Interaction effects revealed Licensed drivers were more likely to have an SCR earlier in the Event videos compared to the end, and the Learner drivers were more likely to have an SCR earlier in the Non-Event videos compared to the end.

Conclusion: Our results support the viability of using SCR during driving videos as a marker of hazard anticipation differing based on experience. The interaction effects may illustrate situational awareness in licensed drivers and deficiencies in sustained vigilance among learner drivers. The findings demand further examination if physiological measures are to be validated as a tool to inform driver potential performance in an increasingly automated driving environment.

A cross-cultural comparison of visual search strategies and response times in road hazard perception testing

Road hazard perception is considered the most prominent higher-order cognitive skill related to traffic-accident involvement. Regional cultures and social rules that govern acceptable behavior may influence drivers' interpretation of a traffic situation and, consequently, the correct identification of potentially hazardous situations. Here, we aimed to compare hazard perception skills among four European countries that differ in their traffic culture, policies to reduce traffic risks, and fatal crashes: Ukraine, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. We developed a static hazard perception test in which driving scenes with different levels of braking affordance were presented while drivers' gaze was recorded. The test required drivers to indicate the action they would undertake: to brake vs. to keep driving. We assessed 218 young adult drivers. Multilevel models revealed that the scenes' levels of braking affordance (i.e., road hazard) modulated drivers' behavior. As the levels of braking affordance increased, drivers' responses became faster and their gaze entropy decreased (i.e., visual search strategy became less erratic). The country of origin influenced these effects. Ukrainian drivers were the fastest and Swedish drivers were the slowest to respond. For all countries, the decrement in response times was less marked in the case of experienced drivers. Also, Spanish drivers showed the most structured (least erratic) visual search strategy, whereas the Italians had the most rigid (most constant) one. These results suggest that road hazard perception can be defined cross-culturally, with cultural factors (e.g., traffic climate, legislation) modulating response times and visual search strategies. Our results also support the idea that a multimodal assessment methodology is possible for mass testing of road hazard perception and its outcomes would be relevant to understand how different traffic cultures shape driving behavior.