Citation

Žuraulis V, Nagurnas S, Pečeliūnas R, Pumputis V, Skačkauskas P. Int. J. Occup. Med. Environ. Health 2018; 31(5): 633-648.

Affiliation

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania (Department of Automobile Engineering). paulius.skackauskas@vgtu.lt.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz and the Polish Association of Occupational Medicine, Publisher Walter de Gruyter)

DOI

10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01264

PMID

29974890

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The article analyzes the driver's psychophysiological qualities such as complex reaction and individual ability to control the vehicle that has suddenly lost its stability. The comparative analysis of the duration of reaction time was performed to assess the negative influence of speaking on a phone and driving with one hand. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experimental research was carried out on special training grounds with the road surface having low adhesion coefficient, where sudden lateral vehicle destabilization was caused by the moving plate mounted on the road surface. The vehicle onboard equipment was used for identifying the difference between the destabilization moment and the responsive driver's steering wheel movement which in this research was assumed as the reaction time.

RESULTS: Statistical methods of research applied for the analysis of results showed high probability that the driver's actions would be significantly late in controlling a vehicle. When stabilizing a vehicle movement, the complex reaction time of a vehicle driver speaking on a mobile phone is increased by 18.1% as compared with the conventional driving by a driver not speaking on a phone.

CONCLUSIONS: The risk of using the phone depends on the driver characteristics, traits and attitudes that affect the level of their experienced dangers, and the intensity of using mobile phones and driving. Speaking on a phone while driving increases the driver's reaction time and mental workload, and changes his or her visual overview ability as well as understanding of the situation.

This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Language: en

Keywords

cell phone; driver; psychophysiology; reaction time; statistical analysis; vehicle stabilization