Browsing by Subject "Graduated licensing"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Development and Evaluation of a Cellular Phone Based Teen Driver Support System
    (University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2009-08) Creaser, J.; Hoglund, R.; Manser, M.; Donath, M.
    Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers with speeding, seat belt non-compliance, alcohol involvement, and distractions serving as the primary contributors to this unacceptably high crash rate. In an effort to mitigate this situation, a prototype teen driver support system (TDSS) has been designed and developed. This computer-based system provides real-time feedback to teens regarding speed limit violations and warns of upcoming speed zone changes. A unique feature of this system is that speed limit feedback is relative to the speed limit posted on the roadway on which the teen is driving. By informing teens of speeding behavior, it is hoped that this system will reduce teen crash rates. This project includes a description of the TDSS features and specifications for how the TDSS operates using the Smart Phone technology. A small usability study was completed as part of the project where teen drivers (aged 18-19) drove with and without the system. Overall, the pilot study demonstrated that the TDSS could operate effectively within a vehicle driven by a teen driver. Warnings and messages were presented to the drivers and corresponding text messages were sent when drivers failed to alter their behavior in relation to a warning. The performance data trended in the direction expected, with the TDSS encouraging lower speeds and less speeding overall. The teen participants reported that very little mental effort was required to interact with the TDSS while driving, but they also reported the system increased their perceptions of stress while driving. The second phase of the study proposed the information that should be presented in the real-time text messages and to parents in a weekly report. A potential weekly report format is described. Finally, the project identified the issues associated with using the TDSS as an additional tool to support GDL programs.
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    ITS and Locational Privacy: Suggestions for Peaceful Coexistence
    (University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2011-10) Douma, Frank; Aue, Sarah
    Continuing developments in the fields of transportation technology and privacy law present an abundance of opportunities for conflict. Without knowledge of the legal framework that applies to emerging technology, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) developers set themselves up for frustration as ideas that appear flawless in an engineering office may become controversial when they reach the implementation stage. From the legal perspective, advocates of comprehensive privacy law struggle to update existing law at a pace that keeps up with innovative advancements in technology. This paper reviews several cases where implementation of transportation technologies has raised civil liberties arguments, examining them from legal and political perspectives. The understanding of privacy both as a political concept and a legal protection provides the foundation for future ITS progress, allowing new technologies to be developed in ways that can withstand these types of challenges or avoid them altogether.
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    Usability Evaluation of a Smart Phone-based Teen Driver Support System (TDSS)
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation Research Services Section, 2011-05) Creaser, Janet; Gorjestani, Alec; Manser, Michael; Donath, Max
    Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities. A Teen Driver Support System (TDSS) was developed by the ITS Institute that can allow parents to accurately monitor their teen's driving behavior in relation to known risk factors and Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) provisions. The TDSS, based on a teen's smart phone, provides real-time, contextual in-vehicle feedback to the teen about his or her driving behavior and helps parents monitor certain known risk factors. The system does not allow incoming or outgoing phone calls (except 911) or texting while driving. Feedback to the teen driver includes visual and auditory warnings about speeding, excessive maneuvers (e.g., hard braking, cornering), and stop sign violations. The TDSS prototype also monitors seat belt use and detects the presence of passengers (e.g., based on GDL provisions), two known factors that increase the risk of fatalities among teen drivers. The TDSS can also be programmed to monitor driving during the GDL curfew or a curfew set by parents. A usability review of the prototype TDSS using 30 parent-teen dyads from Washington Country, MN, found that teens and parents held favorable opinions about most of the TDSS functions. Teens and parents both felt that use of the system early in licensure may result in the adoption of safer driving habits even after the system is removed from the vehicle. Several recommendations to improve the system’s usability are made based on the results.