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Browsing by Author "Schwieters, Katelyn R."

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Establishing a Repeatable Method for Presenting Nontraditional Traffic Treatments to Maximize Stakeholder Support
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2023-08) Morris, Nichole L.; Schwieters, Katelyn R.; Craig, Curtis M.; Tian, Disi
    A novel infrastructure design known as the J-turn intersection reduces the risk of serious and fatal crashes at thru-STOP intersections through decreasing points of conflict at an intersection by restricting crossing movements from the minor road. Despite their demonstrated safety efficacy, J-turns have not been met with uniformly positive support. In this research, we first examine novice driver baseline attitudes and driving behaviors on J-turns using a driving simulator study. Results demonstrate that critical errors are decreased with driving exposure to the J-turn; however, attitudes toward J-turns are not improved by exposure alone. A series of studies then evaluates the efficacy of various messaging strategies and educational materials on improving attitudes toward J-turns. The findings from these studies identify that the use of both educational materials and persuasive and customized messaging strategies is an effective method for increasing acceptance of J-turns across diverse resident populations (i.e., rural, suburban, and urban) and among stakeholders in Minnesota. This work demonstrates the importance of the role of proactive educational programs and community initiatives in promoting the acceptance and buy-in toward novel roadway treatments, such as J-turns, among diverse drivers, communities, and stakeholder groups.
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    Minnesota MNCrash Design and Training Research Development
    (Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2020-09) Morris, Nichole L.; Schwieters, Katelyn R.; Craig, Curtis M.
    This report includes research activities that focused on the MNCrash interface design and training. A series of usability tests was conducted on the existing MNCrash interface system to document errors, frustrations, or confusion points that could be improved through iterative design and training. Usability testing with MNCrash users revealed that the majority of problems were related to detail and efficiency. Next, design recommendations were developed based on a set of criteria to reduce error and user frustration and to improve efficiency and user satisfaction. The outcome resulted in the implementation of several design change recommendations with a focus on addressing more accurate and complete data. To follow, a decision aid prototype was developed to determine if there were measurable effects of increasing accuracy of injury severity reporting for law enforcement participants. The prototype received high-level support, produced good usability, and increased accuracy in injury severity reporting. Finally, to complement the interface design recommendations, a training was developed to address knowledge gaps and improve accuracy in crash data reporting for law enforcement officers. The training was created on Rise360, an e-learning platform. Several iterations and user testing with law enforcement participants and crash reporting experts resulted in a final training design that consisted of an introductory module, eight core modules, eight quizzes, and a concluding module. The training produced good usability and user satisfaction recommended for implementation.
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    Validating an Objective Roadside Tool to Assess Driver Fatigue
    (Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2020-05) Morris, Nichole L.; Craig, Curtis M.; Iber, Conrad; Schwieters, Katelyn R.
    Fatigue has a known influence on negatively affecting driving safety (e.g., increased micro-sleeping, falling asleep at the wheel, and lane drifting) but has been difficult to detect and identify. As such, an objective and reliable roadside tool to detect driver fatigue is needed. The purpose of this project was to validate a series of assessment tests, including but not limited to the Critical Flicker Frequency (CFF), Brief Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT-B), and Trail Making Test, to determine their ability to reliably measure level of alertness or fatigue as an objective tool to assess driver fatigue. A large sample fatigue study was conducted to identify the rate and public acceptance of drowsy driving and establish normative data sets for select fatigue assessment measures among the general Minnesota population. Following that, a 30-hour sleep deprivation study assessed driving performance and fatigue under alert to extreme fatigue conditions. Results from the large sample fatigue study demonstrated a positive relationship between CFF threshold, age, gender, and elapsed sleep measures. Results from the sleep deprivation study showed prolonged wakefulness influenced driving performance (i.e., sleepiness at the wheel) and the relationship between impaired driving and cognitive test performance. A cognitive composite measure of the PVT-B and Trail Making Test predicted fatigue-related driving outcome variables, suggesting that these tests could be useful for further development and assessment of roadside measurement fatigue.