Blueprint for a Simulation Framework to Increase Driver Training Safety in North America: Case Study

Kevin F Hulme,Gregory A Fabiano,Anand Abraham,Ian Duncan,Meghan Bauer,Jacob Deutsch,Jodie-Ann Dequesnay,Brenden Switzer,Nailah Hatten,Nichaela Bald,Helena Destro,Rachel Su Ann Lim,Rebecca Cashmore,Kemper Lewis

doi:10.3390/safety7020024

Abstract

Despite numerous recent advances in the classroom and in-vehicle driver training and education over the last quarter-century, traffic accidents remain a leading cause of mortality for young adults—particularly, those between the ages of 16 and 19. Obviously, despite recent advances in conventional driver training (e.g., classroom, in-vehicle, Graduated Driver Licensing programs), this remains a critical public safety and public health concern. As advanced vehicle technologies continue to evolve, so too does the unintended potential for mechanical, visual, and/or cognitive driver distraction and adverse safety events on national highways. For these reasons, a physics-based modeling and high-fidelity simulation have great potential to serve as a critical supplementary component of a near-future teen-driver training framework. Here, a case study is presented that examines the specification, development, and deployment of a “blueprint” for a simulation framework intended to increase driver training safety in North America. A multi-measure assessment of simulated driver performance was developed and instituted, including quantitative (e.g., simulator-measured), qualitative (e.g., evaluator-observed), and self-report metrics. Preliminary findings are presented, along with a summary of novel contributions through the deployment of the training framework, as well as planned improvements and suggestions for future directions.

Highlights

Traffic accidents continue to be a primary safety and public health concern and are a leading cause of death for young, inexperienced, and newly-licensed drivers [1,2]
A relevant example from the literature is the TRAINER project [10], which proposes a framework for simulator-based training (SBT) and offers result comparisons between training implementation on various classes of simulators and across simulator fidelities
As a primary component of the training framework, a simulator training environment was specified and composed that would allow for presentation of training content at suitable fidelity while simultaneously enabling measurement and observation of human performance alongside a holistic assessment of participant outcomes

Summary

Introduction

Traffic accidents continue to be a primary safety and public health concern and are a leading cause of death for young, inexperienced, and newly-licensed drivers (aged 16–19) [1,2]. Young drivers are almost 300% more likely (than drivers in older age groups) to be involved in a fatal driving accident [2]. Crash risk has long been measured to be high just after licensure [3,4]; per mile driven, crash rates are 150% higher for (just-licensed) 16-year-olds than for slightly older drivers who even have a mere 2–3 years of experience. Novice drivers in training need to safely learn essential skills (e.g., basic vehicle mechanical operation, steering, turning, and traffic management), without the complexity of the normal driving environment. In various countries in Europe (e.g., the Czech Republic, Finland, France, the Netherlands, and Slovakia), driver training requirements are much more rigorous and often include a significant component in addition to classroom and in-vehicle training assessments—through simulator-based training (SBT) [9]. A relevant example from the literature is the TRAINER project [10], which proposes a framework for SBT (in Europe, including implementations based in Spain, Belgium, Sweden, and Greece) and offers result comparisons between training implementation on various classes of simulators and across simulator fidelities

Methods

Results

Conclusion