Searching for answers to the problem of distracted driving. The study raked in data from about 3 million miles of realworld driving. As one of seven premier research institutes created by virginia tech to answer national challenges, vtti is continually advancing transportation through innovation and has affected public policy on national and international levels. Distracted driving raises crash risk national institutes. Jul 28, 2009 the virginia tech transportation institute, which compiled the research and plans to release its findings on tuesday, also measured the time drivers took their eyes from the road to send or. Video resources commercial motor vehicle driving safety. Apr 24, 2006 driver distraction causes most accidents, study finds. Several largescale, naturalistic driving studies using sophisticated cameras and instrumentation in participants personal vehicles conducted by the virginia tech transportation institute vtti, provide a clear picture of driver distraction and cell phone use under realworld driving conditions, according to. The virginia tech transportation institute vtti conducts research to save lives, time, and money and protect the environment.
The method continuously collects realworld driver performance and behavior. Found that while juggling a phone is inarguably risky, it also reduces other distracting driver behaviors. Driver crash risk factors and prevalence evaluation using naturalistic driving data thomas a. These systems included four cameras forward view, rearview, drivers face view, and overdriversshoulder view and a suite of vehicle sensors that included multiaxis accelerometers and global positioning systems. A new fouryear study, led by the virginia tech transportation institute vtti in partnership with a 16member team, seeks to provide the trucking industry, regulators, and the general public with practical guidelines for safely integrating automated driving systems into current fleets. Thomas dingus virginia tech biomedical engineering. Virginia tech transportation institutes jon hankey provided video examples of the data collection system in action. Virginia tech transportation institute michael goodman national highway traffic safety administration. Its this type of mindset that fleet managers must change by educating drivers about distracted driving and implementing a strict distracted driving avoidance program. He has years of experience in the design, implementation, and. Charlie klauer, a transportation engineer for virginia techs transportation institute and a distracteddriving expert, along with her team analyze dangerous driving habits, what they call eyes. Texting raises crash risk 23 times, study finds the new. The impact of handheld and handsfree cell phone use on driving performance and safety critical. Virginia moves closer to total ban on use of handheld.
Earlier research found that driver inattention was responsible for 25 to 30 percent of crashes. Driver distraction is a significant and difficult safety problem to. The fmcsa rules do not apply to devices used for dispatching, as long as they are used as part of the companys fleet. Nov 24, 2014 the insurance institute for highway safety and virginia tech transportation institute. Several largescale, naturalistic driving studies using sophisticated cameras and instrumentation in participants personal vehicles conducted by the virginia tech transportation institute vtti, provide a clear picture of driver distraction and cell phone use under realworld driving conditions, according to the institute. Virginia tech transportation institute new study on. Miguel perez is the director of the center for data reduction and analysis support at the virginia tech transportation institute. The virginia tech transportation institute installed cameras on dashboards inside truck cabs. Antina, miguel pereza, mindy buchanankinga, and jonathan hankeya avirginia tech transportation institute, virginia polytechnic institute and state university, blacksburg, va 24061. Jul 29, 2009 several largescale, naturalistic driving studies using sophisticated cameras and instrumentation in participants personal vehicles conducted by the virginia tech transportation institute, provide a clear picture of driver distraction and cell phone use under realworld driving conditions, according to the institute. Klauer jeremy sudweeks virginia tech transportation institute michael goodman national highway traffic safety administration united states paper number 050400 abstract a key to the development of effective crash. Driver crash risk factors and prevalence evaluation using. Participants were told about remote secure enclaves and a smaller driver study offering easier access. Novice teen drivers easily fall into distraction, accidents cell phone, other distractions pose greater threat to teen drivers 2jan2014 6.
Drive smart virginia has been a pioneer in the fight against distracted driving. The 100car naturalistic driving study, conducted by the virginia tech transportation institute and the nhtsa, broke new ground. This study found that the most common distraction is the use of cellphones, followed by drowsiness. The vtti driver distraction in commercial vehicle operations study found that texting while driving raises a heavytruck driver s risk of a safetycritical event by 23 times. Dec 11, 2018 almost 80% of adult drivers think they can easily manage to text while driving, according to a survey by the virginia tech transportation institute. Vtrc a cosponsor of groundbreaking study of driver behavior. One 2007 study, from the virginia tech transportation institute, which used incar cameras to study motorists, found that digital billboards did. Greg fitch of the virginia tech transportation institute talks about results from the study. Electronic billboards called another driving distraction. The federal motor carrier safety administration awarded a contract to investigate driver distraction in commercial motor vehicle drivers. Using handsfree devices while driving not so risky.
Researchers from the aaa foundation for traffic safety and the virginia tech transportation institute studied two groups of drivers. One group included novice teen drivers in southwestern virginia who were recruited within 3 weeks of getting their license. Drivers are distracted more than half the time they. Researchers at nihs eunice kennedy shriver national institute of child health and human development nichd and the virginia tech transportation institute analyzed the driving habits of about 150 drivers for 1218 months. An overview of the 100car naturalistic study and findings vicki l. According to the virginia tech transportation institute vtti drivers who talk on the phone are nearly four times as likely to be involved in a. The virginia tech study took place between 2005 and 2007.
Researchers observed drivers chatting with a teen or adult passenger 14. Volunteers are selected based on whether they meet the requirements for the objectives specific to the study. The first group was people who owned a vehicle equipped with. The purpose of this study was to characterize driver inattention in safetycritical and baseline events and to determine the relative risk of driving while distracted. From the video footage, on average it took five seconds with their eyes off the road when drivers experienced distractions. Advances in research and countermeasures, volume 1. Driver distraction in commercial motor vehicle operations. October 24, 2014 keep your eyes on the road is a basic tenet of driving, and it goes without saying that anything that diverts a drivers attention could lead to a crash. New research from the virginia tech transportation institute suggests that drivers who use handsfree electronic devices, as opposed to handheld ones, are less likely to get into a crash. Drivers are distracted more than half the time theyre. Novice teen drivers easily fall into distraction, accidents. Vtrc is the research division of the virginia department of transportation. The distance covered in five seconds of driving at 55 mph is.
Camden is a senior research associate in the virginia tech transportation institutes center for truck and bus safety. Impact at a glance virginia tech transportation institute. Apr 20, 2006 transportation institute releases findings on driver behavior and crash factors april 20, 2006 driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and nearcrashes, according to a landmark research report released today by the national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa and the virginia tech transportation institute vtti. Drivers caught texting or using handheld mobile phones are subject to fines, disqualifications, and being put outofservice. New research from the virginia tech transportation institute vtti suggests that drivers who use handsfree electronic devices, as opposed to handheld ones, are less likely to get into a crash. Dingus has performed transportation safety and human factors research since 1984, focusing on automated and connected vehicles, driver distraction and attention, the safety and usability of advanced invehicle devices, crash avoidance countermeasures, and fatigue.
The fmcsa rules do not apply to devices used for dispatching, as long as they. Ctbs is dedicated to the design, delivery, and implementation of leadingedge research and development efforts aimed at improving the safety of commercial motor vehicle cmv drivers and those they share the road with. New data from virginia tech transportation institute provides. A new study by iihs and virginia tech helps clarify the risk of cellphone use behind the wheel and offers insight into other distracting behaviors that drivers engage in. The virginia tech transportation institute, which compiled the research and plans to release its findings on tuesday, also measured the time drivers took their eyes from the road to send or.
Records indicate that distraction was a factor in 120 of those fatalities. Researchers with the virginia tech transportation institute have concluded that motorists who use. The center for truck and bus safety ctbs focuses on the research, development, and evaluation of heavyvehicle systems and operations. The virginia tech transportation institute vtti frequently seeks volunteers to participate in its studies.
They used a number of monitoring instruments in each car, including five channels of digital video, front and rear radar sensors, accelerometers and visionbased lane trackers, to capture about a years worth of. The most common distraction for drivers is the use of cell phones. Driver distraction causes most accidents, study finds. The transportation institute at virginia tech published a fact sheet based on their 2006 study of car accidents and nearcollisions. The impact of billboards on driver visual behavior. However, there has not yet been a clear consensus on the scope of billboardrelated distraction or its dynamics with respect to characteristics of drivers, billboards, traffic, and the roadway. But distractions didnt end at dialing, texting, or reaching for a phone. During that time, vtti monitored 203 drivers operating 55 trucks.
The virginia tech transportation institute naturalistic driving study method involves equipping vehicles with unobtrusive instrumentation, including an advanced suite of radars, sensors, and cameras depicted here with an institute researcher volunteer behind the wheel. Virginia tech transportation institute vtti posts facebook. Transportation institute releases findings on driver. Distractions such as talking or texting on cell phones, reading, or reaching for an object are attributed to 80% of all crashes and 65% of all nearcrashes recently studied by the virginia tech transportation institute. The insurance institute for highway safety and virginia tech transportation institute. Several largescale, naturalistic driving studies using sophisticated cameras and instrumentation in participants personal vehicles conducted by the virginia tech transportation institute, provide a clear picture of driver distraction and cell phone use under realworld driving conditions, according to the institute combined, these studies continuously observed drivers for more than 6. An overview of the 100car naturalistic study and findings. The virginia transportation research council was a cosponsor of the recently released 100car naturalistic driving study, conducted by the national highway traffic safety administration and the virginia tech transportation institute in blacksburg, va. Researchers with the virginia tech transportation institute vtti have a theory.
Matthew camden virginia polytechnic institute and state. New fmcsa regulations prohibit texting and handheld mobile phone use while operating a commercial motor vehicle used in interstate commerce drivers caught texting or using handheld mobile phones are subject to fines, disqualifications, and being put outofservice. Each of these areas provides information in the form of tips, many of which include a video example taken from naturalistic cmv driving studies performed by. The virginia tech transportation institute has conducted a naturalistic driving study in which researches track the realtime actions of drivers by equipping vehicles with sensors, radars, and cameras with the goal of learning what specific distracted driving behaviors and actions are the most dangerous and result in the most number of collisions. Virginia tech transportation institute 3500 transportation.
Richard hanowski phd virginia polytechnic institute and. Tasks that require the driver to take a hand off the. Distracted driving raises crash risk national institutes of. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the department of transportation in the. This compelling statistic caught the attention of the public at large, legislatures and even phone. The site is maintained by the vtti and updated by members of the center for public policy, partnerships, and outreach. Transportation institute releases findings on driver behavior and crash factors april 20, 2006 driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and nearcrashes, according to a landmark research report released today by the national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa and the virginia tech transportation institute vtti. A 2009 study by virginia tech transportation institute on the subject of distracted driving found that text messaging increased the risk of a safetycritical event, such as a crash or nearcrash, by 23 times over a driver who wasnt distracted. Simply because it is allowed does not make it a good thing. With handsfree technology, drivers can make calls and perform a variety of other tasks while still keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
Nhtsa sponsored one such naturalistic study, conducted by virginia tech transportation institute, in which 100 cars in northern virginia were. Cell phone use while driving is permitted in some states. Virginia tech transportation institute archives auto. Driver distraction in commercial vehicle operations. Vtti reports of the virginia tech transportation institute. The nds research method developed at the virginia tech transportation institute vtti involves equipping volunteer participants vehicles with advanced, unobtrusive instrumentation e. According to the research from virginia tech transportation institute. Researchers with the aaa foundation and the virginia tech transportation institute analyzed video of onroad behaviors for two groups. News release virginia department of transportation.
903 885 798 1599 845 768 1082 1449 243 1504 1347 689 966 851 1285 632 621 73 661 78 787 1397 276 827 96 818 1443 352 395 1577 1232 975 783 1371 1444 780 209 35 260 1027 360 447 1051 68 1266 976 1355 750 822 175 20