Measuring Distraction: Methods & Techniques

Papers, polls, Q&A items, and comments on this page are oriented to topics and issues associated with the methods and techniques used to measure driver distraction. Feel free to post comments on issues outlined below, or in response to papers, polls, and/or questions submitted to our expert panel. These discussions are meant to emphasize questions of scientific rigor for research and evaluation efforts. 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

Methods, Measures & Tools

How can driver distraction be safely and rigorously studied in normal driving? How valid are studies that use test tracks, simulators, or laboratory methods?
What measures (dependent variables) are meaningful indices of driver distraction? How do these relate to roadway safety outcomes?
What technologies (e.g., physiological monitoring), devices (e.g., eye trackers), or analytic techniques (e.g., steering control inputs) can be used to capture measures of distraction?
Are there good models that allow you to predict the distracting effects or crash risks associated with a particular distractor?
What, if any, mechanisms are needed to aid in the investigation of technology related crashes and what tools are needed to support these efforts?

Research Needs

What are the important unanswered questions relating to the scientific measurement of driver distraction? Where should research resources be directed?

Content Available In Each Topic Area

  Paper
  Comment
  Ask the Expert
  Poll

Methods, Measures & Tools
	38 3 8
Research Needs
	7 1