Driver behavior and performances on in-vehicle display based speed compliance

Abstract

Traffic safety, and the inherent risks associated with speeding, continue to remain a national priority. Advances in both roadway and vehicle technology have created potential mechanisms to mitigate speeding behaviors. This driving simulator study evaluated the effects of alternative ways to increase driver safety by investigating the characteristics of specific driving cues and drivers’ response rates to those cues. The study builds upon existing approaches to symbolically deliver Traffic Control Devices (TCDs), specifically speed alerts, at different locations within the vehicle to reduce cognitive distraction and prevent visual crowding so that drivers can properly select their speed and focus upon the roadway environment. Twenty-three participants received five visual treatments (e.g., combinations of speed alert style, presentation, and location) in a simulated environment. Participants also responded to a set of survey questions following the simulated drive. Participants were evaluated on various response factors to each visual treatment. Results showed that younger participants of the age group 18–23 responded to the visual treatment and stayed within speed limits as compared to other older and more experienced participants. Results also showed that alerts falling in the mid-peripheral visual region and alerts that flashed received an increased response rate for observing speed limits.