Using European naturalistic driving data to assess secondary task engagement when stopped at a red light. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Morgenstern, Tina; Petzoldt, Tibor; Krems, Josef F.; Naujoks, Frederik; Keinath, Andreas
• Is Part Of: Journal of safety research. Volume 73(2020)
• Page Start: 235
• Page End: 243
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Naturalistic driving -- Distraction -- Texting -- Self-regulatory behavior -- Red lights; Industrial safety -- Periodicals; Accidents -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Safety -- Periodicals; Accidents, Occupational -- Periodicals; Sécurité du travail -- Périodiques; Accidents -- Prévention -- Périodiques; Accidents -- Prevention; Industrial safety; Periodicals; 363.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2020.03.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4375

Abstract

Highlights: Secondary task engagement, especially texting, while being stopped at a red light was examined. Data of the UDRIVE naturalistic driving study was used. Across almost half of the red light episodes drivers engaged in at least one secondary task. Texting was associated with considerable eyes-off-the-road-time. A considerable portion of texting episodes was concluded outside the red light period. Abstract: Problem : Some evidence exists that drivers choose to engage in secondary tasks when the driving demand is low (e.g., when the car is stopped). While such a behavior might generally be considered as rather safe, it could be argued that the associated diversion of attention away from the road still leads to a reduction of situational awareness, which might increase collision risk once the car regains motion. This is especially relevant for texting, which is associated with considerable eyes-off-the-road-time. Nonetheless, it seems that previous research has barely addressed the actual engagement in secondary tasks while waiting at a red light (as compared to just addressing the tasks' mere prevalence). Objective: The present study investigated secondary task engagement while stopped at a red light using European naturalistic driving data collected through the UDRIVE project. Attention was given to the whole engagement process, including simple prevalence and the tasks' relation (in terms of start/end) to the red light period. Moreover, given that texting is one of the most problematic forms of distraction, it was characterized in more detail regarding glance behavior. Method : Videos of 804 red light episodes from 159 drivers were annotated. Glance behavior was also coded for a sub-set of 75 texting events and their matched baselines. Results, conclusions and practical applications : Drivers engaged in at least one secondary task across almost half of the annotated red light episodes. Drivers who texted while stopped spent most of the time looking at their cell phone. Consequently, drivers might not have been prepared for potentially unexpected events once the light turned green. Further, drivers concluded texting a considerable number of times well after the red light period, which has potential implications for traffic safety.