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 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 Howard Kaplan Private Citizen Riding down a narrow 4 lane street on Chicago's west side, with light-moderate traffic. In a section where there is a red light almost every block. Aware of a car behind me. Aware that it's an SUV. Pull up to the next light-- SUV has plenty of opportunity to pass in the other lane, but stays close behind me. Another light-- same deal. Is he/she planning to turn right soon? Doesn't appear so. Uh-oh-- an I being harrassed? When will they finally gun it to shave by me and shout insults? Hmmm . . . doesn't happen. Still right behind me, despite plenty of opportunity to pass. Finally, the SUV pulls into the other lane, passes-- AHA!! A cell phone conversation in progress. My point-- like all distracted drivers, this person was not there mentally, able to make decisions in traffic. A little later, same ride-- light turns green, but there's still a car in the middle of the cross street waiting to turn-- why doesn't it move? All the other cars are gone, the way is clear-- the traffic around me is exceedingly polite, possibly assuming the car had a mechanical problem ---- no, the driver was on a cell phone and didn't realize she missed the boat while waiting in the middle of a busy intersection. Amazing!! The sad part is, she looked embarrased, but more for the little boo-boo than for the fact that she (like most people) just doesn't have the thinking power to drive safely while talking on a telephone, and is not able to demonstrate sound jdgement by refraining from phone use while driving. When will this madness stop?? Howard Kaplan Chicago 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