Browsing by Subject "Teenage drivers"
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Item Developing Driving Support Systems to Mitigate Behavioral Risk Patterns Among Teen Drivers(University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2007-08) Brovold, Shawn; Ward, Nic; Donath, Max; Simon, StephenBased on statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2003), motor vehicle deaths are the leading cause of teenage fatalities. A possible approach to mitigate the incidence of teenage driver crashes and fatalities is through the use of in-vehicle technology. The design and development of a first-generation prototype Teen Driver Support System (TDSS) to explore the feasibility and opportunities of such technology has been completed. The TDSS system includes technology designed to address several primary contributing factors associated with the majority of teen fatal crashes: speeding, seatbelt use, driver inexperience, and alcohol use. This has been implemented using a combination of what researchers call forcing, feedback, and/or reporting functions. Forcing functions take the form of ignition interlocks to enforce seat belt compliance and sober driving. A feedback function provides real-time tutoring and warnings about illegal or unsafe speeds through auditory warnings. A reporting function records vehicle information for parents to review and supervise (and enforce) teen driver performance. A speed feedback and reporting component is used for driver compliance with safe travel speeds. The system correlates the location (using GPS) of the vehicle to a digital road map and the road's corresponding speed limit. A weather-based speed element incorporates current weather information that is used to warn a driver if the vehicle's speed is too high for current weather conditions. Similarly, speed warnings specific to curves are included to warn if speed is excessive for the prevailing geometry. With the prototype TDSS, the researchers developed a method of integrating a seat belt interlock that requires the driver's seat belt to be engaged before the vehicle will start. Seat belt use is continuously monitored during each trip, and lack of seat belt use is recorded for later review. An additional interlock for alcohol is reserved for teen drivers with preexisting alcohol-related convictions. Since alcohol interlock systems are commercially available, they can be demonstrated as an optional component of the TDSS. In anticipation of potential future applications, such as the enforcement of certain graduated driver licensing (GDL) requirements, the system includes a biometric fingerprint component, which uses a fingerprint sensor to identify the driver and parent so that the system can log the number of training hours spent behind the wheel.Item 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.Item Generational Perspective on Teen and Older Drivers on Traffic Safety in Rural and Urban Communities(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2008-09) Manser, Michael; Rakauskas, Michael; Ward, Nic; Jones, Pam; Mayer, Amy; Armson, RossanaThe purpose of this project was to explore beliefs and attitudes about risky driving behavior and traffic safety interventions between urban and rural drivers as a function of age. This was accomplished by conducting focus groups and surveys in rural and urban areas with teens and seniors. Results indicated that traffic safety policy for teens should focus on distraction and sensory-motor functioning amongst seniors. In terms of traffic safety policy for rural areas, attention should be given to interventions promoting seatbelt compliance. Relative to traffic safety interventions, teens felt GDL helped them become better drivers but weren’t convinced GDL had made them better/safer. Teen felt smart technology could have positive effects on safety, but an acceptable program based on this technology needs to balance factors such as cost, robustness, and limitations on driving. Seniors were receptive to mandatory testing but felt it must be flexible, objectively administered, and based on criteria other than age. Rural seniors were concerned about alternative mobility programs for those drivers that fail the proposed test. Relative to these alternative programs, seniors’ acceptance was related to the perceived accessibility to a safe and affordable program that is sufficiently versatile to accommodate a range of transportation needs.Item 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, MaxAlthough 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.Item Teen Driver Support System Technology Transfer(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2019-07) Davis, BrianThe Teen Driver Support System (TDSS) is a smartphone application designed to provide real-time, in-vehicle feedback to novice drivers about their driving behavior to help them make safer driving decisions. The app provides warnings to the driver using in-phone sensors and maps to determine when the driver engages in in risky behavior. TDSS was evaluated in a field operational test that showed the system successfully helps reduce certain risky behaviors among teens using the system. The project documented in this report seeks to extend prior work on the system to make it suitable for future applications. This work included adding features, fixing bugs, and rebranding the system as Road Coach. It also included identifying and pursuing possible future applications of the technology. These efforts enabled the app’s use in a new application focused on providing in-vehicle feedback to older drivers. This application was evaluated as part of two separate projects. These usability and field operational test projects had positive results, notably high user acceptance and system efficacy in reducing certain risky driving behaviors. Future work in this area will continue to pursue this application of the technology as well as others.