Browsing by Author "Ward, Nicholas"

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    Driving Performance During 511 Information Retrieval: Cell Phone 2
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2007-11) Rakauskas, Michael; Ward, Nicholas
    As a logical and necessary extension of previous research (Rakauskas, et al., 2005), this study aims to assess the risk of cell phone use for traveler information applications; namely while using Minnesota's 511 interactive voice response (IVR) menu. First, detailed usage, utility, and usability evaluations of the MN511 were conducted. The goal of this design was to help harmonize the transfer of knowledge between access methods while also easing implementation concerns for the MN511 developers. Next, a simulated driving experiment was conducted with the goal of seeing if using an IVR menu leads to more risky driving behavior compared to driving while not accessing a menu. It also allowed us to see if changing the MN511 menu might affect driver performance. While using both phone menus, drivers seemed to compensate for the additional mental workload by delaying their reactions until they felt comfortable taking action. There were no differences between the two menu types for the majority of driving performance measures. This study addresses issues with the 511 IVR menus that were identified during this study and presents recommendations for future development.
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    Rural and Urban Safety Cultures: Human-Centered Interventions Toward Zero Deaths in Rural Minnesota
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2007-11) Rakauskas, Michael; Ward, Nicholas; Gerberich, Susan; Alexander, Bruce
    The total number of annual traffic fatalities and the rate of fatalities per vehicle mile traveled are considerably higher in rural areas compared to urban areas. This project aimed to be one of the first studies to systematically explore the potential contribution of rural driver attitudes and behavior that may be a causal factor of these trends. We first conducted a survey of self-reported driver behavior and traffic safety attitudes. The analysis of this survey examined differences between rural and urban drivers in terms of risk taking and attitudes toward safety interventions proposed as part of the Minnesota Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan. The results suggest that rural drivers engage in riskier behavior such as seatbelt noncompliance and DUI because they have lower perceptions of the risks associated with such behaviors. Moreover, rural drivers perceive lower value in government-sponsored traffic safety interventions than their urban counterparts. We then measured driver behavior from a driving simulator comparing the driving behavior of rural and urban drivers during traffic scenarios that embodied common crash factors (distraction, speeding, car following, intersections). The results suggest that the rural environment may encourage less safe driving. This study provides policy suggestions for developing safety interventions that are designed for the psychosocial factors that define the rural culture.