Benefits & Safety Risks

Papers, polls, Q&A items, and comments on this page are oriented to topics and issues associated with Benefits and Safety Risks of in-vehicle technologies. Feel free to post comments on issues outlined below, or in response to papers, polls, and/or questions submitted to our expert panel. Although discussions are meant to emphasize safety impacts associated with in-vehicle technological devices, comments relating to safety risks deriving from non-technological or traditional sources of distraction (e.g., eating, shaving, applying make-up, monitoring kids, etc) are also welcome. A moderator has been assigned to periodically synthesize comments, keep discussions focused and moving, emphasize key points, and offer additional insights into related issues.

DISCUSSION ISSUES/TOPICS

Extent of Problem & Safety Risks

To what extent is there a safety problem? Are problems limited to new users who are first learning to use the system, or are they more pervasive and wide spread?
How can we maintain benefits without sacrificing safety?
What can we expect to see in terms of impacts and how do we assess the appropriate level of safety risks from using in-vehicle technologies?
- Can we expect crash rates to increase as a result of in-vehicle technologies?
- How will these technologies affect individual’s ability to drive?
- Can drivers be trusted to regulate their use of these technologies – limiting their use to situations when it is presumed safe to operate.
- Will drivers become less cautious as they become routinely exposed to these technologies?

Research Needs

What are the important unanswered questions relating to safety & benefits of in-vehicle technology. What research issues should we invest our time and resources studying?

Content Available In Each Topic Area

  Paper
  Comment
  Ask the Expert
  Poll

Extent of Problem & Safety Risks
	The Impact of Internal Distraction on Driver Visual Behavior 5/17/00 2:30:52 PM The Influence of the Use of Mobile Phones on Driver Situation Awareness 5/17/00 2:31:00 PM Issues in the Evaluation of Driver Distraction Associated with In-Vehicle Information and Telecommunications Systems 5/18/00 9:44:51 AM Individual Differences and In-Vehicle Distraction While Driving: A Test Track Study and Psychometric Evaluation 5/18/00 10:35:38 AM A Technical Platform for Driver Inattention Research 5/18/00 1:34:17 PM In terms of safety, what type of distraction concerns you more? Have you ever witnessed, or experienced a close call or crash resulting from a driver using a cellular phone or from your personal use with a cell phone? How capable are drivers at making decisions about when it is safe to use technology while driving? my own inability 7/6/00 8:21:30 AM driving while inconversated 7/6/00 8:31:21 AM honk honk honk! hang up the @#$%$#@ cell phone please! 7/6/00 8:40:13 AM Driving is dangerous enough. 7/8/00 12:16:49 AM More distractions? 7/8/00 9:24:29 AM more comments after reading studies 7/8/00 9:28:20 AM *Have you ever witnessed, or experienced a close call or crash resulting from a driver being distracted by something other than a cell phone? (e.g. reading a map, eating, personal grooming)* in-vehicle technology needs to be eliminated 7/13/00 10:17:06 PM Hang-up and Drive 7/14/00 10:31:02 AM General comments about distracted drivers 7/14/00 3:33:25 PM Steve Reeves Commercial Driver I've been in the transportation business since 1983. I also ride motorcycles. I am currently a safety director for a trucking company, and am active in motorcycle safety issues. Driver distractions are the biggest cause of crashes on the roads today. Cell phones and other technologies are adding to the problem to the point where it's now becoming an issue. Two businessmen died a horrible death when the driver changed lanes, hit one of our trucks, spun off the road and crashed through a road sign. Our driver, who did nothing wrong and could do nothing to get out of the other guy's way, has to live with the memory of two people dying right before his eyes. Another lady nearly killed three people that were at a stoplight in a SUV when she turned around to tend to her little child, who was strapped into a child seat and was in the rear seat of her minivan. She was completely oblivious to the fact that she was still going 45 when she gave up on the task of driving! She's very fortunate that engineers have done such a good job of making such stupidity a survivable offense. But what if she had hit a motorcycle rider instead? Whether it's cell phones, reading newspapers (I've seen it, you have too) or other people/animals in the car, too many drivers simply forget that they're piloting a 3,000-pound missile at deadly speeds. Laws that make use of technology while driving might be of some use, but if they're unenforceable, it's a waste of time. Driving drunk used to be a much larger problem than it is now. Public education through TV ads has helped turn the peer pressure around. I believe the same results could be obtained by the NHTSA. Instead of pooring millions of tax dollars into campaign issues such as motorcycle helmets, (which, by the way, they have been instructed by congress not to use tax dollars for this, and yet they continue!)money should be spent to launch an aggressive and comprehensive campaign that reminds drivers to pay attention while driving. Thanks for your time and efforts. I pray they accomplish good things. Steve Reeves Passenger airbags; forcing children, especially rear-facing infants to the back seat where they are responsible for crash causing driver distractions. 7/14/00 5:48:07 PM Multitude of distractions 7/15/00 11:26:03 PM Distraction Perspective 7/17/00 10:42:58 PM Driving is Given Less Attention Than it Deserves 7/18/00 9:10:49 AM Now that we know..... 7/18/00 9:15:10 AM Lonely on the road 7/18/00 5:18:40 PM cell phones 7/18/00 5:27:39 PM Distractions 7/18/00 8:09:55 PM Latest attempt to legislate common sense at the expense of freedom 7/18/00 9:21:39 PM Children in the back seat 7/18/00 10:27:26 PM Benefits are minimal; not worth the risks 7/19/00 10:20:19 AM Comment on "Benefits are minimal..." 7/19/00 5:07:26 PM Benefits---I am not convinced 7/20/00 10:42:30 AM There is a solution - it's called the train 7/20/00 12:34:16 PM *The real* problem 7/21/00 11:52:59 AM What about other in-vehicle technologies? 7/21/00 5:24:54 PM The scope of "distractions" needs to be cast much wider 7/21/00 9:35:32 PM Trained drivers susceptible to distraction? (See detailed question below) 7/25/00 8:56:18 AM oh dear its you we should watch for 7/26/00 10:13:43 AM Driver Training 7/26/00 12:45:19 PM Engage brain before putting mouth into gear 7/27/00 1:17:58 PM comment on: Benefits---I am not convinced 8/1/00 9:57:07 AM RE: oh dear its you we should watch for 8/3/00 7:06:56 AM Map Readfing while driving 8/3/00 7:25:10 AM RE: Latest attempt to legislate common sense at the expense of freedom 8/3/00 7:59:16 AM Referring to: cell phones 8/3/00 8:54:22 AM RE: Greg Knight's comment 8/3/00 10:14:11 AM Technology Related Distraction & Crashes (see detailed question below) 8/3/00 10:28:09 AM Comment on: RE: Greg Knight's comment 8/3/00 12:35:46 PM Have you been to Westport, CT? 8/5/00 9:25:19 PM RE: Lonely on the road 8/7/00 11:30:54 AM driver awareness 8/8/00 10:04:57 AM Think about it 8/8/00 2:58:44 PM 911? 8/8/00 3:12:11 PM Critical Input: Headway to vehicle in front 8/8/00 4:46:30 PM Riding my bike home from work 8/8/00 10:26:39 PM Infants in the back seat 8/10/00 11:10:47 AM RE: 911? 8/10/00 12:08:03 PM Human element cannot be minimized by technology 8/10/00 9:57:59 PM One size does not fit all** 8/11/00 2:27:09 PM
Research Needs