Australian Drivers Research Articles

PREDICTING USE OF ADVANCED DRIVER-ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS IN OLDER DRIVERS THROUGH STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING

Abstract Older drivers are an at-risk population when on-road. Normal ageing processes, such as declines in visual, sensorimotor and cognitive processes, impact driving skills and contribute to the increasing crash rate. Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) may provide a solution to keep older drivers safe on the road. This study investigated what technology acceptance and trust factors predict use of ADAS between older drivers who have ADAS in their car and a) use it (n=790) or b) do not use it (n=32). We conducted an online survey to 1330 Australian drivers aged 65 years or older (M=72, SD=6.9, 23% women) in partnership with National Seniors Australia. ADAS acceptance was measured by the Partial Automation Acceptance Scale, measured by the latent factors attitudes towards ADAS, attitudes towards technology, perceived risk and trust. Structural equation modeling examined the structural relationships between use of ADAS, the acceptance scale, locus of control and driver self-efficacy. The results indicated positive attitudes towards ADAS had a significant positive direct effect on use (y =.06, S.E =.02, p =.002 (β =.26)) and trust in ADAS had a significant negative direct effect on use (y = -.03, S.E =.01, p =.024 (β = -.15)). The model tested accounted for 93.4% of the variance in use of ADAS. These findings highlight the importance of older drivers to hold positive attitudes and trust in ADAS in order for them to use it, highlighting potential factors that could be targeted in behavioural change interventions seeing to improve usage rates.

A novel learner driver first aid eLearning program: a mixed-method pre-post pilot test and evaluation

BackgroundApproximately 1.35 million people worldwide are killed in road accidents every year. Mandatory first aid training for learner drivers has been introduced in some European countries but no such requirements are in effect in Australia. The current study aimed to pilot and evaluate a first aid eLearning program for Australian learner drivers undertaking their mandated supervised driving hours.MethodsA total of 103 participants (M age = 20.57; 52.4% female, 96% completion rate) responded to an online survey immediately before and two weeks after completing the Learner Driver First Aid program. Participants completed measures of first aid self-efficacy, first aid knowledge, and attitudes towards first aid, and provided qualitative feedback on the program. Paired samples t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests assessed improvements in first aid self-efficacy, knowledge, and attitudes, and qualitative feedback were analysed thematically.ResultsParticipants showed significant pre-post program improvements in first aid self-efficacy (p < .001) and first aid knowledge (p < .001); however, there were no significant changes in attitudes towards first aid (p = .028). Self-efficacy and knowledge improvements were significantly greater for those without prior first aid training (p < .001). Participants rated the usability of the online program favourably and most (93.2%) were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the program. Qualitative feedback suggested participants found the program to be accessible and interactive but noted concerns about the transfer of skills to the real-world context.ConclusionsThe findings provide support for the efficacy of online first aid training for Australian learner drivers. However, further improvements to the eLearning program based on participant feedback should be considered. This study recommends the Learner Driver First Aid program be refined and rolled out to the Australian public.

A qualitative study of the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: The impact on alcohol consumption and driving behaviours

COVID-19 influenced life in a multitude of ways beyond immediate health impacts. This included driving behaviours. People drove less often during the early months of the pandemic, yet crash rates increased. There were reports of increased alcohol consumption during this same time which was considered to impact on driving behaviours such as drink driving. This study explores the thoughts and opinions of Queensland, Australian drivers (n = 798) concerning driving behaviours, alcohol consumption, and drink driving behaviours during the early phases of the pandemic (April – August 2020). Participants responded to qualitative questions in online questionnaires over three phases that prompted thoughts in these domains. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model was found to explain participants’ comments with the six layers seeming to impact driving, alcohol consumption, and drink driving behaviours. That is, these behaviours were influenced at an individual level (e.g., coping mechanisms), the microsystem level (e.g., reduced opportunities for socialisation), the mesosystem (e.g., work demands impacting family), the exosystem (e.g., large scale random breath testing was suspended and road police deployed to border control), the macrosystem (e.g., Australian drinking culture), and the chronosystem (the pandemic). Understanding the perspectives of individuals during a sudden shift in life caused by COVID-19 highlights the broader impact of the pandemic on people’s behaviours. In addition, this study also provides important insights into the intricacies of driving, drinking and drink driving behaviours. These understandings can inform future research and countermeasures to prevent these risky behaviours.

Perceived impacts of stressful events on train driver performance

Acute stress exposure can significantly impact a train driver's capacity to maintain safe train operations. However, research examining how train drivers perceive the impacts of acute stressors is limited. This study investigated train driver perceptions regarding performance impacts of stressful events and potential strategies for reducing negative impacts. 71 Australian train drivers were presented with three stressful event scenarios via an online survey and asked to rate the impacts on driving performance. Results showed that participants perceived that stress would enhance performance, but that impacts differed depending on the event type. The findings suggest that train drivers may not be subjectively aware of negative impacts of acute stress, which has important practical implications for risk management following an incident. Qualitative results revealed the most frequently reported stress impact related to cognition. Practical implications and future research directions to prevent and manage stressful event exposure are discussed.

Multigroup invariance of measure for angry drivers (MAD) scale using a representative sample of drivers in Australia

Introduction: Driver anger and aggression have been linked to crash involvement and injury outcomes. Improved road safety outcomes may be achieved through understanding the causes of driver anger, and interventions designed to reduce this anger or prevent it from becoming aggression. Scales to measure anger propensities will be an important tool in this work. The measure for angry drivers (MAD; Stephens et al., 2019) is a contemporary scale designed to measure tendencies for anger across three types of driving scenarios: perceived danger from others, travel delays, and hostility or aggression from other drivers. Method: This study aimed to validate MAD using a representative sample of Australian drivers, stratified across age, gender, and location. Participants completed a 10-minute online survey that included MAD, sought demographic information (age, gender, driving purpose, crash history), as well as the frequency of aggressive driving. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (MGCFA) assessed how stable the structure of the MAD was across drivers of different ages, gender, purposes for driving and those who do or do not display anger aggressively. MAD was invariant across all groups, showing that all drivers interpreted and responded to MAD in the same way. Results: A comparison of latent means showed anger tendencies were higher for men compared to women, for younger drivers compared to older drivers, and for those who drive mainly for work compared to those who mainly drive for other reasons. When controlling for driver factors, driving anger was associated with increased odds of being aggressive while driving. Practical Applications: Overall, this study demonstrated that MAD is an appropriate scale to measure anger tendencies and can be used to support interventions, and evaluation of interventions, to reduce anger and aggressive driving.

Reconsidering screening thresholds in health assessments for obstructive sleep apnea using operational and safety incident data

The rail industry in Australia screens workers for probable obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to known safety risks. However, existing criteria to trigger screening only identify a small proportion of workers with OSA. The current study sought to examine the relationship between OSA risk and rail incidents in real-world data from Australian train drivers, and conducted a proof of concept analysis to determine whether more conservative screening criteria are justified. Health assessment (2016–2018) and subsequent rail incident data (2016–2020) were collected from two passenger rail service providers. Predictors included OSA status (confirmed no OSA with a sleep study, controlled OSA, unknown OSA [no recorded sleep assessment data] and confirmed OSA with no indication of treatment); OSA risk according to the current Standard, and OSA risk according to more conservative clinical markers (BMI threshold and cardiometabolic burden). Coded rail safety incidents involving the train driver were included. Data were analysed using zero-inflated negative binomial models to account for over-dispersion with high 0 counts, and rail safety incidents are reported using Incidence Risk Ratios (IRRs). A total of 751 train drivers, typically middle-aged, overweight to obese and mostly men, were included in analyses. There were 43 (5.7%) drivers with confirmed OSA, 62 (8.2%) with controlled OSA, 13 (1.7%) with confirmed no OSA and 633 (84.4%) drivers with unknown OSA. Of the 633 train drivers with unknown OSA status, 21 (3.3%) met ‘at risk’ criteria for OSA according to the Standard, and incidents were 61% greater (IRR: 1.61, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.02–2.56) in the years following their health assessment compared to drivers who did not meet ‘at risk’ criteria. A more conservative OSA risk status using lower BMI threshold and cardiometabolic burden identified an additional 30 ‘at risk’ train drivers who had 46% greater incidents compared to drivers who did not meet risk criteria (IRR (95% CI) 1.46 (1.00–2.13)). Our more conservative OSA risk criteria identified more workers, with greater prospective incidents. These findings suggest that existing validated tools could be considered in future iterations of the Standard in order to more sensitively screen for OSA.

Development and validation of the Driver Attention Regulation Scale: A measure of the perceived ability to regulation attention on the road

The ability to regulate attention while driving is a vital skill for remaining safe on the road. However, there is no current self-report method that measures such a construct, potentially limiting research in the area of attention and distraction. This study aimed to develop and validate a new measure, the Driver Attention Regulation Scale (DARS), that can be used to identify how drivers perceive their ability to regulate attention while driving. To achieve this aim, two online surveys were shared with unique samples of Australian drivers. Following the development of an initial item pool, principal components analysis and follow up confirmatory factor analysis were used to test the structure of the items and revealed that three factors emerged: attentional presence (e.g., focus; vigilance), attentional flexibility (e.g., awareness; shifting), and attentional capacity (e.g., processing speed; cognitive resources). Each of the subscales (α = 0.75–0.88) and the total scale (α = 0.87–0.91) exhibited a good internal consistency across the samples. Evidence of external validity was also demonstrated, as the DARS was positively associated with generalised attention regulation measures, and driver confidence, but negatively associated with emotion regulation difficulties, driver stress, and driving errors/lapses. Mediation analyses also indicated that the attentional constructs measured by the DARS may indirectly influence driving behaviours, via their effect on driver stress and confidence. Overall, the DARS has demonstrated promise as a new measure of driving-related attentional skills that can be used in future research to better understand how situational factors may impact drivers’ confidence, and also how confidence may influence driving behaviours (e.g., speeding).

Development of a nuanced approach to aggressive driving: An investigation into the self-regulatory and attitudinal profiles of aggressive drivers and their contextual role in negative road interactions

This study aimed to provide a novel perspective on aggressive driving behaviour (ADB) by developing a self-report measure of aggressive driving styles (the Aggressive Driving Styles Questionnaire; ADSQ) and comparing how different types of drivers (according to their attitudes and self-regulatory functioning) might differentially engage in such driving styles. An online survey was completed by a sample of Australian adult drivers (N = 527), who reported engaging in an ADB in the past month. An initial confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the proposed factor structure of instrumental, reactive, proactive and interpersonal driver aggression, was a good fit for the data, and reliability tests suggested that the ADSQ had good internal consistency (α = 0.73 - 0.91). Next, correlational analysis showed that the ADSQ had positive associations with (a) driver anger and rumination; (b) problematic attitudes towards instrumental and hostile aggressive driving; and (c) various domains (i.e., cognitive, attentional, emotional) of self-regulatory dysfunctioning. K-means cluster analysis was then used on the variables to determine potential profiles of ‘self-regulated’ drivers among the participants. The results suggested that three driver types significantly differed according to their attitudes and level of self-regulatory dysfunction: self-regulated drivers (high functioning; low attitudes), antisocial drivers (medium functioning; high attitudes), and dysregulated drivers (low functioning, high attitudes). These cluster groups were shown to significantly differ in their tendency to engage in aggressive driving styles and what behaviours they perceived as most triggering when driving on the road. The ADSQ and associated findings of this study provide a nuanced perspective on how ADBs can be approached, observed, and operationalised.

Sitting, Standing, and Physical Activity in Australian Passenger Rail Drivers: On the Right Track for Better Health?

Poor health in passenger rail drivers, resulting from perceived highly sedentary work and leisure time, has implications for public safety. To date, no studies have described the physical behaviors of passenger rail drivers. This study aimed to characterize the physical behaviors of passenger rail drivers by investigating the volume, pattern, variation, and composition of behaviors at and outside of work. A convenience sample of 31 rail drivers (77% male, median age 51.0 [12.5]y) in South Australia wore an activity monitor on their right thigh for 8 days and completed a work logbook. Physical behaviors (sitting, standing, light-intensity physical activity, moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity [MVPA], and steps) were recorded for workdays and nonworkdays, and work and nonwork time on workdays. The volume, bouts, between-participants variation, and 3-way composition were compared across the 4 time periods. Drivers sat for 10.6 (1.5)hours, did 76.3 (38.8)minutes of MVPA, and took 9727.3 (4088.4) steps daily. At work, drivers were sitting 369.3 (41.8)minutes (187.1 [54.2]min in prolonged bouts) and doing MVPA 31.7 (10.0)minutes. Between-participants variation in sitting time during work (11%) was lower than both nonwork on a workday (19%) and on a nonworkday (24%; P < .001). Compositions at work differed from nonwork on workdays (F = 27.7, P < .001), as did compositions on workdays compared with nonworkdays (F = 6.8, P = .002). Passenger rail drivers were highly sedentary, but also surprisingly active. At work, drivers were more sedentary and had lower variation in behaviors, suggesting work constraints play an important role. Therefore, work may be the most appropriate domain to intervene for promoting healthy physical behavior profiles among these passenger rail drivers.

Offence trajectories of young Australian novice drivers

This paper aims to add to the sparse research on patterns of traffic offending in young novice drivers by examining the trajectories of young Australian novices throughout the graduated driving licensing system (GDLS). Data on licensing, crashes and traffic offences for all persons aged under 25 years first licensed from July 2007 to June 2008 in New South Wales were supplied by transport authorities, with follow-up to January 2014. Eight hierarchical categories of offence were defined by seriousness. Total numbers of offences per month were plotted for one year after initial licensure while under supervision (L), after transitions to the first (P1) and second (P2) provisional licence phases and to unrestricted licensure (U). After excluding novices not transiting to P1, 75,470 novices (51.5 % male, 77.7 % 16 years old at L) remained. Of these 63,070 had a year of follow-up after P2 (52.5 % male, 82.3 % 16 years old at L) and 28,861 had a year of follow-up after U (55.5 % males, 91.7 % 16 years old at L), Offences were uncommon under at L but spiked after P1 and again after P2. Omitting GDLS offences there was a small increase after U. Patterns were broadly similar by age at L and time in L. Novices aged at least 18 years at L had the highest offence rates in the learner phase; those aged 17 years at L had the highest rates in P1 and P2. The longer novices spent in the supervised driving phase the lower their subsequent offence rates even allowing for age at P1. Urban or regional residence had little influence on offence rates but lower aggregate socio-economic status as measured by a census-derived index was associated with appreciably higher offence rates. Speeding was the most common offence type; dangerous/negligent driving was common immediately after P1, declining thereafter. These results are in broad agreement with previous research in noting the increase in offending as GDLS restrictions eased. They highlight the need for better understanding of the function of a GDLS in improving the safety of young drivers. They may also inform future enforcement and education policies for novice drivers. For example, rehabilitative interventions should occur coupled with enforcement soon after citation. Visible display of GDLS status would assist their identification.

Associations between Australian climate drivers and extreme weekly fire danger

Aims We investigate the associations between major Australian climate drivers and extreme weekly fire danger throughout the year. Methods We use a composite-based approach, relating the probability of top-decile observed potential fire intensity to the positive and negative modes of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean Dipole, Madden–Julian Oscillation, Southern Annular Mode, split-flow blocking and Subtropical Ridge Tasman Highs, both concurrently and at a variety of lag times. Key results The chance of extreme fire danger increases over broad regions of the continent in response to El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole events, the negative mode of the Southern Annular Mode, split-flow Blocking Index and Subtropical Ridge Tasman High, and Madden–Julian Oscillation phases 5, 6, 2 and 8 in Austral summer, autumn, winter and spring respectively. These relationships exist not only concurrently, but also when a climate event occurs up to 6 months ahead of the season of interest. Conclusions These findings highlight the importance of considering the influence of diverse climate drivers, at a range of temporal lag periods, in understanding and predicting extreme fire danger. Implications The results of this study may aid in the development of effective fire management strategies and decision-making processes to mitigate the impacts of fire events in Australia.

Road rule enforcement and where to find it: An investigation of applications used to avoid detection when violating traffic rules

Introduction: One of the primary countermeasures in place to prevent road rule violations is legal enforcement, yet there are numerous applications that can undermine such efforts by notifying drivers of enforcement locations. However, the capabilities of these applications and how they can impact offending behavior is currently unknown. Method: Two studies were conducted to understand which of these applications are being used by drivers and how these applications are impacting road rule violations. Study 1 consisted of a content analysis that involved searching the Google Play Store and Apple iTunes Store for applications that could be used to avoid road rule violations using pre-determined keywords. Meanwhile, Study 2 consisted of 468 licensed Australian drivers (54.5% males) over the age of 17 years (Mage = 35 years) who completed a survey. Results: A total of 73 applications were identified for Study 1, with most of the applications displaying speed camera locations. It was found that applications that notify drivers of traffic enforcement locations are widely prevalent, can be used on a variety of interfaces and include numerous additional features. Study 2 found that those who use the applications were more willing to speed than those who do not use the applications, while there was no difference in phone use while driving between those who do and do not use the applications. Practical Applications: The findings have important implications for stakeholders, policy, and future research. For example, it is suggested that specific functions of these applications need to be regulated to reduce road rule violations and crash risk. Meanwhile, enforcement initiatives need to evolve at a faster rate to keep up to date with the changing technology that can undermine them.

Impact of work and coping factors on mental health: Australian truck drivers’ perspective

IntroductionTruck driving is one of the most common male occupations worldwide. Drivers endure long working hours, isolation, separation from family, compromised sleep, and face rigid regulatory requirements. Studies have documented the work factors contributing to poor health outcomes, however these have not been explored in the Australian context. The aim of this grounded theory study was to explore the impact of work and coping factors on mental health of Australian truck drivers from their perspective.MethodsRecruitment used a purposive snowball sampling, through social media campaigns and direct email invites. Interview data were collected via phone/teleconference, audio recorded and typed verbatim. Inductive coding and thematic analysis were completed with triangulation of themes.ResultsSeventeen interviews were completed (94% male). Six themes arose, two supporting (Connections; Coping methods), and four disrupting mental health (Compromised supports; Unrealistic demands; Financial pressures; Lack of respect). Drivers had concerns regarding the many things beyond their control and the interactions of themes impacting their health even further.ConclusionThis study explored the impact of work and coping factors affecting truck driver mental health in Australia. Themes described the importance of connections and coping methods drivers had to support their health. Many factors that compromised their health were often outside their control. These results highlight the need for a multi-faceted collaboration between stakeholders; the driver, employing companies, policy makers/regulators and the public to address the negative impact of truck driving on mental health.

Do you really want to hurt me?: Exploring the role of Narcissism, driver comparison and ego threat in driver aggression using a conceptual definition of aggression

The present study examined the extent to which narcissism and driver comparisons contribute to driver aggression and aimed to determine whether these relationships were moderated by threats to one’s driving ego. In doing so, the research sought to define and operationalise driver aggression by replicating how it is defined in the general aggression literature - as behaviour intended to harm. A total of 286 participants (188 women) were recruited from a community sample of Australian drivers who completed an online questionnaire and watched a video vignette showing a provocative driving event. As expected, narcissism and driver comparison predicted higher levels of driver aggression, and aggression was higher in conditions where a driver’s ego was threatened. However, there was no interactive effect of ego threat and narcissism or driver comparison on driver aggression. Our findings have implications for the development of a consistent, theoretically grounded definition of driver aggression that focuses on intention to harm, and for the development of measures that operationalise the construct in this manner.

Beliefs and attitudes of Australian learner drivers toward driving and avoiding driving through floodwater

IntroductionDriving through floodwater is a significant cause of flood-related injury and mortality, and opportunities exist to embed safe driving messages regarding floodwaters to novice drivers in graduated driver licensing schemes. To inform future educational efforts, we investigated the beliefs and attitudes of Australian learner drivers about driving and avoiding driving through floodwaters. Methods: The study adopted a cross-sectional correlational design with measures drawn from the theory of planned behaviour and administered within an online survey. Phase 1 (N = 44 learner drivers) aimed to identify the core beliefs associated with driving through floodwater. Phase 2 (N = 250 learner drivers) tested these beliefs predicting willingness to drive through floodwater as well as the social psychological factors that predict learner drivers’ willingness to drive and avoid driving through floodwater using a pre-tested scenario. Analyses comprised descriptive statistics, linear regression, and structural equation models. Results: Ten key beliefs were identified as predicting willingness to drive through floodwater. These included perceived advantages and disadvantages, perceived social approval from important others, and perceived facilitators and barriers regarding driving through floodwater in the presented scenario. Structural equation models of social cognition constructs of the theory of planned behaviour revealed attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control predicted both willingness to drive and avoid driving through floodwater. Past experience as a passenger also predicted these social cognition constructs, although this differed across models. Discussion: Results highlight the importance of modelling safe driving behaviour for young passengers. The strong association between subjective norm and willingness to drive through floodwater further highlights the importance of those supervising learner drivers to establish expectations around avoiding driving through the floodwater if it is encountered on a driving route. Conclusion: Social cognition factors from the theory of planned behaviour predict willingness to drive and avoid driving though floodwater. Theory-based targets should be considered for the development of intervention programs for novice drivers, such as those holding learner licenses.

Why Not Pedal for the Planet? The Role of Perceived Norms for Driver Aggression as a Deterrent to Cycling

Cycling has many benefits for humans and the planet. This research investigates perceived norms and driver behavior toward cyclists as issues that may be useful for addressing reluctance to cycle. It connects perceived norms observed in the road context regarding aggressive driver behavior towards cyclists, and norms observed in workplaces regarding sustainability (perceived green psychological workplace climate) with driver aggressive behavior toward cyclists. Self-reported online survey responses from N = 426 Australian drivers were collected. Perceived norms regarding aggressive driver behavior toward cyclists were linked to drivers engaging more frequently in such behavior, but no such link was found for perceived green psychological workplace climate. However, perceived green psychological workplace climate moderated the link between perceived norms regarding aggressive driver behavior toward cyclists and drivers engaging in such behavior. When drivers perceived aggression toward cyclists to be common on the road, perceived green psychological workplace climate weakened the link between perceived norms regarding aggressive driver behavior towards cyclists and drivers engaging in such behavior. Findings reinforce the role of perceived road context norms regarding aggressive driver behavior toward cyclists for drivers engaging in such behavior. They illustrate that, while not directly linked, sustainability norms perceived in other contexts have a role in shaping car driver behavior towards cyclists. The study's findings suggest that interventions targeted at aggressive behavior toward cyclists in road contexts can focus on driver behavior norms and can be complemented by normative interventions in other settings to shape a key deterrent to cycling.

Exploring the factors influencing acquisition and learning experiences of cars fitted with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have shown substantial potential to increase road safety. To guarantee a growing presence and correct use of ADAS, road safety initiatives such as driver education and programs to promote safer vehicles need to be oriented towards the specific needs of individual drivers. The aim of this study was to explore a sample of Australian drivers’ rationale for driving a vehicle with ADAS and the strategies that they use when learning to operate the functions of ADAS. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 48 Australian drivers aged between 19 and 78 years (M = 41.54, SD = 16.32; 25 females). The results were organised into four themes: (i) reasons for driving/purchasing a car with ADAS, (ii) systems influencing driver purchasing systems, (iii) strategies used by drivers when learning about ADAS, and (iv) perceptions regarding the importance of learning and training to use ADAS. Acquisition of vehicles with ADAS frequently occurred because of the perceived safety benefits of specific systems (e.g., rear parking sensor or in-vehicle information system). Additionally, some participants did not highlight the safety benefits as the main reason for driving/purchasing a car with ADAS. Indeed, some participants mentioned that ADAS acquisition was not a reasoned process but rather an opportunistic decision when upgrading their vehicles, mainly because these systems were already included in a vehicle. Regarding education, it was found that participants were using trial-and-error as their main approach to learning about the capabilities of ADAS and official sources of knowledge about the system were rarely consulted. On a positive note, participants recognised the importance of learning to use ADAS systems correctly, showing that there is demand for effective and engaging driver education.

The Association between Psychological Resilience and Driving Behavior among Older Drivers in Australia.

This study compared a sample of Australian drivers aged 77years and older to participants from an older driver longitudinal cohort study (Ozcandrive) and examined the relationship between resilience and self-reported driving measures within these samples. Using a survey with a subset of questions from Ozcandrive, data were collected from 237 older drivers throughout Australia. The two samples were analyzed for differences in demographics, health, resilience, and self-reported driving behavior. A series of multiple regression models were fit for each driving outcome measure for both samples. The two samples had both similarities and differences, with the largest difference observed for resilience. Strong and consistent associations were found between resilience and driving comfort, abilities, and frequency for the Australian sample. Across samples, resilience remained a significant variable in seven of 10 regression models, more than any other independent variable.

Factors Associated with Fatigued Driving among Australian Truck Drivers: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Fatigued driving is one of the leading factors contributing to road crashes in the trucking industry. The nature of trucking, prolonged working time, and irregular sleep patterns can negatively impact drivers' health and wellbeing. However, there is limited research in Australia investigating the impact of demographic, occupational, or lifestyle factors on fatigue among truck drivers. This cross-sectional study examines the role of demographic, occupational, lifestyle, and other health risk factors associated with fatigue among Australian truck drivers. This study was part of a larger study that used a short online survey with a follow-up telephone survey to capture in-depth information on a wide range of determinants related to truck drivers' physical and mental health outcomes. Fatigue was measured by three questions, including the frequency of fatigue, fatigue management training, and strategies used to combat fatigue. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the specific impact of demographics, occupational factors, lifestyle factors, and other health risk factors on fatigue. In total, 332 drivers completed both the online and telephone surveys; 97% were male, representing drivers from broad age groups and professional experience. The odds of being in the high-risk fatigue group were nearly three times higher in drivers who worked 40-60 h compared to those who worked < 40 h. Poor sleep increased the odds of high-risk fatigue by seventimes (95% CI: 2.26-21.67, p = 0.001). Drivers who reported experiencing loneliness also had double the odds of being at high risk of fatigued driving. The increased risk of fatigue in truck drivers is associated with prolonged working hours, poor sleep, and social aspects such as loneliness. Further interventions seeking to reduce driver fatigue should consider the impact of work schedules, the availability of quality sleeping spaces, and the level of social connections.

Metacognition and self‐regulation on the road: A qualitative approach to driver attention and distraction

AbstractThis study aimed to explore the self‐regulatory experiences and perceptions of drivers' attentional processes on the road, via a metacognitive framework. A total of 46 Australian drivers participated in a phone interview and thematic analysis was applied to the data. The results revealed that effective self‐reported attention regulation was perceptually contingent on: driving experience, metacognitive skills used to regulate attention, and strategies to sustain attention. The perceptual difficulty of driving environments was shown to impact on self‐reported arousal, and thus the perceived ability to control and sustain attention. Similarly, cognitive confidence, and metacognitive beliefs about worry and mindless driving were shown to not only influence the tendency to engage in worry and mindless driving, but also the subjective ability to self‐regulate attention whilst doing so. This study has provided evidence for the potential of metacognitive concepts to help better understand the process of attentional lapses and difficulties on the road.