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Citation |
Horrey WJ, Lesch MF. Accid. Anal. Prev. 2009; 41(1): 115-122. |
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Affiliation |
Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748, USA. william.horrey@libertymutual.com |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
19114145 |
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Abstract |
Today, drivers are faced with many in-vehicle activities that are potentially distracting. In many cases, they are not passive recipients of these tasks; rather, drivers decide whether or not (or how) to perform them. In this study, we examined whether drivers, given knowledge of the upcoming road demands, would strategically delay performing in-vehicle activities until demands were reduced. Twenty drivers drove an instrumented van around a closed track that was divided into sections of varying demands and difficulty. Drivers were asked to perform one of four in-vehicle tasks (e.g., phone conversation; read a text message; find an address; pick up an object on the floor); however, they were free to decide when to initiate these tasks, provided they finish them before a given deadline. Although drivers were fully aware of the relative demands of the road, they did not tend to strategically postpone tasks--a finding that was consistent across the different tasks (p>.05). Rather, drivers tended to initiate tasks regardless of the current driving conditions. This strategy frequently led to driving errors. Given the control that drivers have over many in-vehicle distractions, interventions that focus on strategic decisions and planning may have merit. Language: en |