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人驾驶执照后发生车祸的原因，并利用这种理解来设计和评估培训计划，以减少任何技能缺陷。在单独驾驶的前六个月，新执照的青少年司机的撞车率下降了五倍（McCartt，Shabanova和Leaf，2003）。只有那些80岁以上的司机才有更大的撞车风险。也许并不奇怪，车祸是新执照驾驶员死亡的主要原因（疾病控制和预防中心，2004年）。这个问题是一场持续了太久的国家悲剧。标准的驾驶员教育计划通常包括30小时的课堂教学和10小时的车内训练（4小时的观察和6小时的驾驶），直到最近，这一直是青少年学习驾驶的主要方式。不幸的是，在过去的40年里进行的评估表明，这些计划对撞车率的影响很小（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计划明显降低了16奥尔兹的撞车率。然而，新执照的司机遵守法律-单独和在白天-仍然过度参与碰撞，有时是多达八倍的可能性比老司机（Langone，2006）。有很多原因，标准的驾驶员教育计划和GDL计划可能不会减少碰撞，因为可能会在前六个月的限制许可遵守法律的司机预期。也许最明显的是，这些努力并没有直接纠正三种被假设为新手驾驶员撞车的主要原因的行为：未能（a）预测危险，（B）保持注意力，（c）适当控制速度。不幸的是，很少有人知道这些差异是否确实存在，如果是这样，确切的原因是新执照和经验丰富的司机可能会在这三个领域的每一个彼此不同。在知道这一点之前，人们无法设计出弥补缺陷的培训计划。我们提出了一个为期四年的理论和应用研究计划，以解决这些问题。第一阶段：在第一年，我们将在驾驶模拟器上评估新驾照驾驶员（持有限制性驾照6个月或更短时间的青少年）的危险预测，注意力保持和速度控制技能，并将其表现与经验丰富的老年人（40-55岁）驾驶员进行比较。眼睛运动、头部运动、驾驶员行为（例如，踩下或离开油门、刹车等）以及车辆行为（例如，速度、制动压力）将被监控。我们将确定在何种程度上的差异，在危险的预期，注意力的维护和速度控制是由于知识的差异，基本的车辆操纵技能，和任务管理程序的两组司机。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PC的培训计划，旨在提高新执照驾驶员的危险预测，注意力维护和速度控制技能。评估将在获得许可后立即、一个月和三个月进行。第3阶段：在第三年，我们将再次评估基于PC的培训计划，只是这次评估的是新执照驾驶员的危险预测、注意力保持和速度控制技能，这些技能是在培训后立即、一个月和三个月在开放道路上进行的。同样，眼睛运动，头部运动，以及驾驶员和车辆的行为将被监控。项目叙述：车祸是新驾照驾驶员死亡的主要原因（疾病控制和预防中心，2004年）。在单独驾驶的前六个月，新执照的青少年司机的撞车率下降了五倍（McCartt，Shabanova和Leaf，2003）。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，并利用这种理解来设计和评估培训计划，以减少任何技能缺陷。

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.