Browsing by Subject "HumanFIRST Laboratory"

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Computerized Crash Reports Usability and Design Investigation
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2016-06) Morris, Nichole L.; Achtemeier, Jacob D.; Ton, Alice; Plummer, John Paul; Sykes, Jennifer
Electronic crash reports are advantageous because they can limit missing data, transcription errors, and the space limitations of a single sheet of paper. Advancing electronic reports through user-centered design affords an opportunity to improve law enforcement officer’s (LEOs) ability to accurately, timely, and efficiently document crashes. Minnesota’s commencement of a new crash records database offered a unique opportunity for a redesign of its electronic crash report to best support LEOs. A well-designed electronic report will not only support LEOs in the line of duty but will also lead to more useful, complete, and accurate data for various state and federal agencies for analysis and policy decision making. The objectives of this project were to: 1) improve crash data reliability and validity, 2) develop a framework crash report interface based on human factors principles and usability requirements, and 3) reduce the mental workload and required steps for users. Project tasks included: heuristic and hierarchical task analysis, cognitive walkthroughs, validity and reliability testing, interviews, beta testing, and usability testing. The human factors principles and user-centric approach lead the iterative design process to produce a product with high levels of usability and intuitiveness. The project featured a cooperative approach among university researchers, state agencies, and a private developer to ensure that the knowledge, design, and results of the research effort was fully transferred into the final product. The resulting interfaces preliminarily suggest improved user satisfaction, along with data completeness and accuracy, and provide a resource for replication in multiple domains.
Examining the Impact of ASE (Automated Speed Enforcement) in Work Zones on Driver Attention
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2016-01) Morris, Nichole L.; Cooper, Jennifer L.; Ton, Alice; Plummer, John Paul; Easterlund, Peter
Each year, there are over 500 fatal crashes in work zones in the U.S., with over 100 road construction workers killed on work sites (NSC, 2011; FARS, 2011). Speed and distraction are among the top contributing factors to work zone crashes (Garber & Zhao, 2002; Mountain, Hirst, & Maher, 2005; Wilson, Willis, Hendrikz, Le Brocque, & Bellamy, 2006). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of different types of speed enforcement methods on driver attention in work zones. The investigation not only examined enforcement methods currently used in Minnesota, but also examined how implementing automated speed enforcement (ASE), which is not currently used in Minnesota, may influence driver attention and behavior in simulated work zones. Overall, the results do not appear to support the hypothesis that ASE without dynamic speed display sign (DSDS) improves driver attention in work zones. There is some evidence, however, that drivers did heighten their visual attention in work zones with ASE+DSDS enforcement. Drivers fixated on the secondary task display less frequently in the ASE+DSDS condition compared to other enforcement types while they traveled in the downstream portion of the work zone. The largest effects of the study were found among the age groups, with younger and older drivers exceeding the speed limit most often and varying their speed slightly depending on the type of enforcement present. Middle-aged drivers exhibited the greatest speed control and tended to abide by the speed limit to the same extent regardless of the type of enforcement present.
Human Factors of Vehicle-Based Lane Departure Warning Systems
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2015-06) Edwards, Christopher; Cooper, Jennifer; Ton, Alice
Run-off-road (ROR) crashes are a concern for two-lane rural and urban roadways throughout Minnesota due to the frequency by which they contribute to fatal crashes (Minnesota Crash Facts, 2013). Mitigating the severity of the ROR events is an on-going research goal in order to help reduce the number of ROR crashes. Examining countermeasures that may reduce ROR crashes is important to determine the most efficient and effective method of warning. Behavioral responses were examined through the use of an in-vehicle haptic-based lane departure warning system (LDWS) using a driving simulator. The study incorporated systematic variation to both the reliability of the warning and sequence of treatment conditions. An additional analysis examined the presence of behavioral adaptation after repeated exposure to the system. Severity of a ROR event was measured as the total time out of lane (TTL) and maximum lane deviation (MLD). Covariates (e.g. road shape) were examined to determine the influence they may have on the severity of a ROR. The results reveal overall LDWS efficacy. TTL was significantly longer when no system was active compared to when it was active. LDWS led to shorter duration of ROR events. Greater velocity was found to be highly predictive of longer TTL. MLD was also greater for baseline drives compared to treatment drives. No behavioral adaptation or system overreliance was detected, suggesting long term benefits of the LDWS. Drivers who actively engaged in a distraction task were at far greater risk of traveling greater and more dangerous distances out of lane.
Lighting Levels for Isolated Intersections: Leading to Safety Improvements
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2015-01) Edwards, C. J.
A number of studies have linked the benefits of roadway lighting to a reduction in crash rates at night for a variety of roadway types including rural intersections. Assessing the effectiveness of intersection lighting has primarily relied upon crash database modeling comparing lighted intersections to unlighted intersections. The current research effort gathered similar metrics for comparison but also measured the amount of lighting within isolated rural intersections. Sixty-three intersection locations were chosen for lighting measurement from six different counties within Minnesota. A vehicle mounted illuminance meter data collection system was used to collect data at each intersection. The data collection system utilized five separate illuminance meters and captured horizontal illuminance while driving through all 63 intersection locations. Following data collection, a series of negative binomial regression models were used to assess the horizontal lighting level in conjunction with the nighttime crash ratio, intersection configuration type, and proximity of an intersection to a curve in the roadway. The first model used data from the lighted an unlighted intersections. The results showed that across all intersections, an increase in the average horizontal illuminance (3.91 lux) by 1-lux (~0.09 fc) reduced nighttime crash rates by 9%. A second model used only lighted intersection data and showed an increase in 1-lux from average (6.41 lux) reduced crashes by 20%. A third and final model used unlighted intersections only. A 1-lux increase from average (0.20 lux) or increasing illuminance to lighted levels (as defined by the modeling), reduced nighttime crash ratios by 94%. Intersection configuration and proximity to curves also affected the nighttime crash ratios. The results of this effort are discussed in terms the impact of horizontal illuminance on crash rates. Additional items discussed include thresholds for minimum and maximum lighting levels and future research investigating and validating these efforts.
Minnesota Crash Records Audit
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2020-08) Morris, Nichole L.; Libby, David A.; Peterson, Colleen; Ryan, Andrew; Sheppard, McKenzie
In 2016, Minnesota deployed a state-of-the-art electronic crash reporting system to all law enforcement officers across the state. The updated crash report was created with the officer in mind through an extensive usability and design project led by HumanFIRST. Preliminary testing of the new system suggested high user satisfaction but could not determine the extent of the crash data improvement. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to conduct a series of qualitative analyses of the crash data records collected by the legacy crash reporting system and the new MNCrash reporting system. The first analysis compared 360 serious injury and fatal crash reports from 2015 and 2016 and found a year-to-year decrease in mismatching data but a slight increase in missing data. However, overall, the MNCrash system increased the number of data queries, so data access was increased in 2016. The second analysis of serious and fatal injury crashes compared 996 reports sampled from 2015 and 1,572 reports sampled from 2016. The analysis showed a decrease in missing data and a decrease in erroneous data entry in 2016. Finally, the converted 2015 legacy data was analyzed to reveal few errors in the MNCrash conversion process.
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.
A Next Generation Non-Distracting In-Vehicle 511 Traveler Information Service
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2014-10) Morris, Nichole L.; Ton, Alice; Cooper, Jennifer; Edwards, Chris; Donath, Max
This study investigates the current features of state and proprietary traveler information applications, elements of good design and usability, human factors issues regarding visual and cognitive distraction, and makes recommendations for the next generation of Minnesota’s traveler information application, MN 511. Traveler information systems were created to serve drivers by providing accurate information about traffic and road conditions before drivers began their trip. The advancement of cellular telephones provided a new opportunity for drivers to access traffic and road information en-route, but introduced considerable cognitive distraction on drivers navigating the complex phone trees. The evolution of traveler information systems onto smartphone applications has eased the cognitive demand previously imposed by phone tree systems, but has shifted the demand to drivers’ visual resources. The dichotomy between state-funded 511 travel information applications and proprietary traveler information applications is primarily determined by the features each contains. The common features included in the current proprietary traveler information applications provide insight into the opportunities for future iterations of MN 511 mobile applications. The MN 511 application can continue to improve by incorporating select features from proprietary applications, such as voice commands, route guidance, saved places, and travel time estimates, while taking into account cognitive workload and visual distraction. This is important because publicly funded traveler information applications have a greater responsibility, compared to proprietary applications, to account for distraction and ensure the safety of its users.
Risk Evaluation for In-Vehicle Sign Information
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2016-05) Schlicht, Erik J.; Morris, Nichole L.
The goal of the study was to examine the influence of in-vehicle signing (IVS) pertaining to four types of changing driving conditions and determine the utility and potential safety costs associated with the IVS information. Signage displayed on a personal navigation device was presented for specific zones within the simulation to assist drivers’ preparation for transitioning to new driving conditions ahead. These zones included: speed zone changes within the same roadway, notification of school zones, notification of work zones, and notification of curves. Driving performance measures known to be related to distraction as well as subjective usability and workload measures were used to help identify potential distraction associated with the IVS information. Moreover, risk analysis was conducted to evaluate the safety associated with IVS technology compared to the known safety levels with standard roadside signage. The objective measures collected in this study (both driving performance and risk analysis) indicated that implementing IVS technology would impact driving performance in the following manner: When IVS was deployed in the absence of external signs, speeding behavior significantly increased relative to baseline levels. IVS technology was not observed to impact speeding behavior when external signs were also present. Risk analysis suggested that IVS technology (when used in conjunction with external signs) can improve the safety associated with frontal-impact crashes; however, risk analysis proved that safety across all crash types was significantly reduced below baseline levels when IVS was used without external signs. Moreover, subjective usability results reinforced the driving performance findings.
Teen Driver Support System (TDSS) Field Operational Test
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2015-11) Creaser, Janet; Morris, Nichole L.; Edwards, Christopher; Manser, Michael; Cooper, Jennifer; Swanson, Brandy; Donath, Max
Although teen drivers make up a small percentage of the U.S. driving population, they are at an especially high risk of being involved in a crash. Factors that contribute to teen drivers’ risk include their lack of experience and their tendency to engage in unsafe behaviors such as speeding, driving aggressively, or using a cell phone while behind the wheel. To help teen drivers stay safe on the road, we developed the Teen Driver Support System (TDSS), a smartphonebased system that provides real-time, in-vehicle feedback to teens about their risky behaviors—and reports the behaviors to parents via text message if teens don’t heed the system’s warnings. The TDSS provides geographically specific, realtime feedback to a teen driver at the time unsafe driving behavior occurs so that behaviors can be immediately corrected. This report documents a 12-month field operational test of the system involving 300 newly licensed teens driving on Minnesota roads. The test included a control group that received no feedback, a treatment group that received only TDSS in-vehicle feedback, and a second treatment group that received both TDSS in-vehicle and TDSS parental notifications. Research results indicate an overall safety benefit of TDSS, demonstrating that in-vehicle monitoring and driver alerts, coupled with parental notifications, is a meaningful intervention to reduce the frequency of risky driving behaviors that are correlated with novice teen driver crashes. In particular, the system was shown to be an effective strategy for reducing excessive speeds when used with parental feedback and potentially even without parental involvement.

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