Identifying effects of driving and secondary task demands, passenger presence, and driver characteristics on driving errors and traffic violations – Using naturalistic driving data segments preceding both safety critical events and matched baselines. (November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Precht, Lisa; Keinath, Andreas; Krems, Josef F.
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 51(2018)
• Page Start: 103
• Page End: 144
• Publication Date: 2017-11
• Subjects: Driver behavior -- Driver distraction -- Naturalistic driving -- Crash causation; Automobile drivers -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Automobile driving -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 629.283019
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2017.09.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8478

Abstract

Highlights: Crashes were preceded by notably more errors and violations than baselines. Near-crashes were not preceded by more errors or violations than baselines. High-risk visually distracting secondary tasks were associated with errors. Cognitive distractions did not have a detrimental effect on driving performance. Violations committed in the past predicted current violations. Abstract: Researchers have identified various factors that likely affect aberrant driving behaviors and therefore crash risk. However, it remains unclear which of these factors poses the greatest risk for committing either errors or violations under naturalistic driving conditions. This study investigated important variables contributing to driving errors and traffic violations based on naturalistic driving data from the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2). The analyzed driving segments preceded both safety critical events and matched baselines. Results showed that intersection influence, high-risk visually distracting secondary tasks, and the severities of the safety critical events were the main factors associated with driving errors. The primary factors linked to violations were intersection influence, persistent individual differences in driver behavior, and the severities of the safety critical events. Furthermore, the number of aberrant driving behaviors in trip segments preceding crashes was higher than in the matched segments unrelated to safety critical events. However, the most common aberrant driving behavior types in the respective segment groups appeared to resemble each other. This suggests that crashes became more likely due to drivers committing more violations and errors overall as opposed to drivers making one certain type of error or violation.