Targeting highrisk groups of drivers Adolescent drivers and

Targeting high-risk groups of drivers Adolescent drivers and elderly drivers

Drivers killed/injured pr. million km driven Bjørnskau, 2004 2

Proportion of drivers 65 year of age and older with a driver license – 1980 -2002 (Norway) 3

Characteristics of accidents with older drivers • Overrrepresented in junction accidents, especially when turning left (in countries with right-side driving). • Higher accident risk in roundabouts • Overrepresented in wrong-way driving accidents • Elderly have problems reading signs on distance, especially at nighttime and under glare conditions • Signs often have too short sight distance to have enough time to perceive and react 4

Characteristics of older drivers – age related changes: - Visual and auditory functions impaired - Cognitive ability can be impaired – e. g. reduced perception, attention and information processing - Physical ability reduced (stiffer neck, torso, reduced muscle power) - More health problems and more use of medication - However – large in-group variation – an older driver is not necessary a bad driver 5

On the other hand, elderly drivers: – are usually very safety oriented (few violations) – have a defensive driving style – tend to compensate for their impairments by: – avoiding heavy traffic – driving at night-time/evening – avoiding driving on slippery roads and during difficult weather conditions – using passengers as “co-pilots” – Many elderly drivers may therefore be the safest drivers – Reason to believe that certain subgroups of elderly drivers accounts for the increase in risk 6

Subgroups with functional impairments -vision • Weak association between visual acuity (synsskarphet) and accident risk – Due to compensation? • Reduced visual acuity under glare conditions associated with a poor driving performance (indikasjon på grå stær/cataract) • Defects in the central field of view also associated with poor driving performance • Neither of these two tests are included in the medical test older drivers have to pass today Ulleberg og Sagberg, 2003 7

Reduced acuity under glare conditions 8

Defects in the central field of vision may impair perception Moderate defect Severe defect (extreme example) 9

Amsler grid – indication of defects in the central field of view - Focus on the dot in the middle - Breaks/waves in the grid indicate defects in the central field og vision 10

Attention and accident risk are related • UFOV (”useful field of view”) – Slow information processing – Impaired divided and selective attention – Low capacity of using information in the peripheral field of view. • Other cognitive impairments typical for dementia related to accident risk – Short time memory, spatial orientation, change of attention and being able to concentrate over time 11

Holistic approach to safety promotion for older drivers Reduce mental workload and (consequenses) The of driver error Improve functional ability Selection/ screening The driver Training vehicle Reduce injury if an accident occurs Reduce mental workload and driver errors The road infrastructure Reduce injury for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists 12

Examples of road design for elderly drivers • The system is today primarily designed for the young and healthy driver • A road system designed for the older driver may improve safety for all drivers 13

Example – Avoidance of junction accidents Main idea: lowering information processing demands (less mental workload) – – simplify junctions (e. g. from X- to T-crossing) left-turn lane and own signal-light phases for left turns road illumination at junctions and pedestrian crossings increase size and conspicuity of signs and other information – Increase time from information is presented to the driver has to respond (more than 2. 0 sec) 14

Example: wrong way driving on motorway 15

Hvamjunction Correct direction Planned direction Wrong way! 16

Several factors complicating the information processing at Hvam • Several roundabouts near each other • Information overload concerning signs • Contra-intuitive direction of on-ramp (more natural to believe that the wrong ramp is the correct one) • On-ramp placed in connection to roundabout • All these elements should be avoided 17

Typical driver error resulting in wrong way driving from service areas Gas station 18

Better solution? • Simplify the driver’s decision making Curve signal that this is an unnatural way to enter 19

Avoiding errors and reducing injury through special vehicle design for older drivers • Several types of equipment may reduce workload and help reduced motoric skills – Existing: Power steering, power brakes, automatic gearing – Soon to come: night-time vision, collision avoidance systems (but uncertain effect) – Several passive safety measures are today unsuited due to higher fragility among elderly drivers: airbags too powerful, seat belts may cause injury 20

Possible explanations for young drivers elevated accident risk More errors and slips/lapses? – inexperienced, driving skills are not automatized – low spare mental capacity when driving – hazards not perceived adequately More violations? - ”Poorer” attitudes – More preferences towards risk-taking? – More social pressure towards risk-taking? The answer seems to be ”yes” to both explanations 21

The accident risk is reduced by 50 % during the first 9 months Sagberg, 2002 22

Same tendency for all age groups Violations? Experience, less errors? Maycock, 1991 23

What happens during the first nine months? • Routine behaviours get automatised (are performed without conscious attention) • Increased spare mental capacity for handling unexpected events • Consequences: Technical skills improve, fewer slips & lapses and errors • Hazard perception improves (faster & better) Sagberg og Bjørnskau, 2003 24

• Also: Learning to interact better with other drivers – being more predictable for others • Interestingly: more violations (!), especially running yellow lights, more “offensive” driving like less hesitation at junctions etc. 25

The experience paradox • Most important experience must be gained during the most dangerous period of a driver’s development (i. e. first year holding a driver license) • How can this experience be gained in a safe way? 26

Driving with a lay instructor and accident risk after licensing Sagberg, 2002 27

• However – even though the accident risk is reduced after nine months, it is still high compared to more experienced drivers • Due to risk-taking? Safety motivation needs to be addressed 28

Improved skills and lowered safety motivation High Low Summala, 1996 29

Not all young drivers are high-violators Risk Group (males/females ) High Medium Low Social deviant (80/20) Hostile (45/55) Adventure seeking (50/50) Indifferent (55/45) Considerate (40/60) Worrying (80/20) Ulleberg, 2002 30

Personality traits and driver behaviour Two ”problem groups” of young drivers Cluster 2 Cluster 5 Low anxiety Mild social deviance Egocentric High sensation seeking High anxiety High aggression Hostile Impulsivity Ulleberg, 2002 31

Response to a traffic safety campaign by cluster Ulleberg, 2002 32

Why are risk-takers so difficult to influence? Rejection - does not elaborate the message • Affect and hedonism – does not like the message, too much in conflict with own preferences – the processes of contrasting and rejection – No personal relevance - No. 1 attitude: ”I have such good driving skills that I can take more chances than others” (meaning: the message does not apply to me) – Low preferences for elaborating messages in general (are they bit stupid…? ) Reckless driving seems to be a very important part of their identity (and reflection of their personality). Difficult to change people’s lifestyle through an attitude campaign 33

Influencing adolescents through campaigns • Advantageous to let adolescents perceive that they themselves take decisions about attitude/behavioural change. Do not tell them directly how to think and behave! • Self-initiated decisions usually motivate for deeper elaboration of the message, which may facilitate attitude/behaviour change • Adolescents are more easily influenced by social and group pressure. Face-to-face communication most efficient. Especially from other adolescents • New campaigns tries to motivate adolescents to influence each other – e. g. passengers influencing the driver. E. g. “Sei I frå!” campaign • Targeting night-time weekend driving and group pressure may be especially relevant 34

Risk of injury by time and day Bjørnskau, 2004 Reducing exposure at night-time in weekends especially relevant 35

Increase in accident risk when young drivers carry young passengers Chen, 2000 Focus on positiv guidance from passengers, reduce group pressure especially relevant 36

Other possible measures • Restriction of night-time driving and carrying young passengers for young drivers (implemented in several countries) • Alternative modes of transport more easily available (e. g. cheap taxis during weekends) • More driving at motor sport lanes? Supposed catharsis-effect, but may have the opposite effect on safety due to compensation (increased belief in own driving skills) 37

Model illustrating factors influencing young drivers driving behaviour and accident involvement Automatization of the driving process Learningprocess Driver education Training Expereince Actual driving skills Perceived driving skills Driving behaviour: Decision making Errors Perceived risk of accidents ”Backpack” Social influence and individual differences Personality Lifestyle Group norms Cognitive and motoric skills Modified model based on Gregersen og Berg, 1996 Slips and lapses Motives Violations Attitudes 38