Newly-licensed Driver Crashes: Causes and Remediation

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议研究的长期目标是更好地了解青少年驾驶员在获得单独驾驶执照后发生撞车事故的原因，并利用这种理解来设计和评估培训计划，以减少所显示的任何技能缺陷。在独自驾驶的前六个月，新驾照的青少年司机的撞车率降低了五倍（McCartt, Shabanova, and Leaf, 2003）。只有那些80岁及以上的司机才有更大的撞车风险。也许不足为奇的是，车祸是新驾照司机死亡的主要原因（疾病控制和预防中心，2004年）。这个问题是一场持续太久的全国性悲剧。直到最近，标准的驾驶员教育课程一直是青少年学习驾驶的主要方式，通常包括30小时的课堂教学和10小时的车内教学（4小时观察和6小时驾驶）。不幸的是，在过去的四十年中进行的评估显示，这些计划对事故发生率几乎没有影响（Mayhew和Simpson， 2002）。毕业驾驶执照（GDL）计划是对这个问题的一种回应。GDL项目明显降低了16岁青少年的车祸率。然而，新驾照的司机在白天独自遵守法律，仍然过度参与撞车事故，有时发生撞车事故的可能性是老司机的8倍（Langone, 2006）。标准的驾驶员教育计划和GDL计划可能不会像预期的那样减少车祸，因为在前六个月遵守法律的驾驶员有限制执照。也许最明显的是，这些努力并不能直接纠正三种行为，这三种行为被认为是新手司机撞车的主要原因：未能(a)预测危险，(b)保持注意力，(c)适当控制速度。不幸的是，对于这些差异是否确实存在知之甚少，如果存在的话，新驾照和有经验的司机在这三个方面的确切原因可能会有所不同。在了解这一点之前，人们无法设计出弥补缺陷的培训方案。我们提出了一个为期四年的理论和应用研究计划来解决这些问题。第一阶段：第一年，我们将在驾驶模拟器上评估新驾照司机（持有限制驾照六个月或以下的青少年）的危险预测、注意力保持和速度控制技能，并将他们的表现与经验丰富的老年司机（40-55岁）进行比较。眼球运动、头部运动、驾驶员行为（如踩下油门、刹车等）和车辆行为（如速度、刹车压力）都将被监控。我们将确定两组驾驶员在危险预测、注意力保持和速度控制方面的差异在多大程度上是由于知识、基本车辆操作技能和任务管理惯例的差异造成的。第二阶段：第二年，我们将在驾驶模拟器上开发和评估一个基于个人电脑的培训计划，旨在提高新驾照司机的危险预测、注意力保持和速度控制技能。评估将在获得许可后立即、一个月和三个月进行。第三阶段：在第三年，我们将重复我们对基于pc的培训计划的评估，只是这次评估新驾照驾驶员在开放道路上的危险预测，注意力维护和速度控制技能，培训后一个月和三个月。同样，眼球运动、头部运动、驾驶员和车辆行为都将被监控。项目简介：车祸是导致新驾照司机死亡的主要原因（疾病控制和预防中心，2004年）。在独自驾驶的前六个月，新驾照的青少年司机的撞车率降低了五倍（McCartt, Shabanova, and Leaf, 2003）。这项拟议研究的长期目标是更好地了解青少年司机在获得单独驾驶执照后发生车祸的原因，并利用这一理解来设计和评估培训计划，以减少任何暴露出来的技能缺陷。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long term objective of the proposed research is to understand better the causes of crashes among teen drivers right after they receive their solo license and to use that understanding to design and evaluate training programs that will reduce whatever skill deficits are revealed. During the first six months of solo driving, the crash rate for newly-licensed teen drivers decreases by a factor of five (McCartt, Shabanova, and Leaf, 2003). The only drivers at greater risk of crashing are those eighty years old and older. Perhaps not surprisingly, automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for newly-licensed drivers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). The problem is an ongoing national tragedy that has continued for far too long. Standard driver education programs, which typically involve 30 hours of classroom instruction and ten hours in the vehicle (four hours of observation and six hours behind the wheel), have, until recently, been the primary way teens learned to drive. Unfortunately, evaluations undertaken over the last forty years have shown little effect of such programs on crash rates (Mayhew and Simpson, 2002). Graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs are one response to the problem. The GDL programs clearly reduce crash rates among 16 year olds. However, newly-licensed drivers obeying the law-alone and during the day-are still over-involved in crashes, sometimes being as much as eight times more likely to be in a crash than are older drivers (Langone, 2006). There are many reasons that standard driver education programs and GDL programs may not reduce crashes as much as might be expected among drivers obeying the law during the first six months of restricted licensure. Perhaps most obvious is that these efforts do not directly remediate three behaviors that have been hypothesized to be the primary causes of crashes among novice drivers: failures to (a) anticipate hazards, (b) maintain attention, and (c) control speed appropriately. Unfortunately, little is known about whether these differences do indeed exist and, if so, the exact reasons newly-licensed and experienced drivers may differ from one another in each of these three areas. Until such is known, one cannot design training programs that remediate the deficiencies. We are proposing a four year program of theoretical and applied research to address these problems. Phase 1: In the first year, we will assess the hazard anticipation, attention maintenance and speed control skills of newly-licensed drivers (teens who have had their restricted license six months or less) on a driving simulator and compare their performance with experienced older (40-55) drivers. Eye movements, head movements, driver behaviors (e.g., foot on or off the accelerator, brake, etc.) and vehicle behaviors (e.g., velocity, brake pressure) will be monitored. We will determine the extent to which the differences in hazard anticipation, attention maintenance and speed control are due to differences in the knowledge, basic vehicle handling skills, and task management routines of the two groups of drivers. Phase 2: In the second year we will develop and evaluate on a driving simulator a PC-based training program designed to improve hazard anticipation, attention maintenance and speed control skills of newly-licensed drivers. The evaluations will take place immediately, one month, and three months after licensure. Phase 3: In the third year, we will repeat our evaluation of the PC-based training program, only this time evaluating newly-licensed drivers' hazard anticipation, attention maintenance and speed control skills on the open road immediately, one month and three months after training. Again, eye movements, head movements, and driver and vehicle behaviors will be monitored. PROJECT NARRATIVE: Automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for newly-licensed drivers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). During the first six months of solo driving, the crash rate for newly-licensed teen drivers decreases by a factor of five (McCartt, Shabanova, and Leaf, 2003). The long term objective of the proposed research is to understand better the causes of crashes among teen drivers right after they receive their solo license and to use that understanding to design and evaluate training programs that will reduce whatever skill deficits are revealed.