Driver Training Research Articles

Beyond adaptive cruise control and lane centering control: drivers' mental model of and trust in emerging ADAS technologies.

The potential safety benefits of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) highly rely on drivers' appropriate mental models of and trust in ADAS. Current research mainly focused on drivers' mental model of adaptive cruise control (ACC) and lane centering control (LCC), but rarely investigated drivers' understanding of emerging driving automation functions beyond ACC and LCC. To address this research gap, 287 valid responses from ADAS users in the Chinese market, were collected in a survey study targeted toward state-of-the-art ADAS (e.g., autopilot in Tesla). Through cluster analysis, drivers were clustered into four groups based on their knowledge of traditional ACC and LCC functions, knowledge of functions beyond ACC and LCC, and knowledge of ADAS limitations. Predictors of driver grouping were analyzed, and we further modeled drivers' trust in ADAS. Drivers in general had weak knowledge of LCC functions and functions beyond ACC and LCC, and only 27 (9%) of respondents had a relatively strong mental model of ACC and LCC. At the same time, years of licensure, weekly driving distance, ADAS familiarity, driving style (i.e., planning), and personability (i.e., agreeableness) were associated with drivers' mental model of ADAS. Further, it was found that the mental model of ADAS, vehicle brand, and drivers' age, ADAS experience, driving style (i.e., focus), and personality (i.e., emotional stability) were significant predictors of drivers' trust in ADAS. These findings provide valuable insights for the design of driver education and training programs to improve driving safety with ADAS.

Safety Culture in Railway Operations: TCDD Transport Inc. a Factor Analysis Study on the Example Train Driver

Geleceğin ulaşım modu olarak görülen demiryolu taşımacılığında çalışanların emniyete dair tutumlarını ölçmek, gerek konuya yönelik iyileştirilmesi gereken alanların belirlenmesi, gerekse de emniyete dair strateji ve politika üretme noktasında önemlidir. Bu kesitsel çalışmada demiryolu taşımacılığında emniyetin sağlanması noktasında önemli aktörler olan tren makinistlerinin, emniyet kültürüne yönelik tutumlarını değerlendirmek amacıyla geçerli ve güvenilir bir kavramsal form geliştirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaca binaen literatürdeki ve sektörde otorite konumdaki kurumların kullandıkları araçlar araştırılmış 80 maddelik bir madde havuzu oluşturulmuş, 25 madde emniyet konusunda uzman akademisyen ve uygulayıcıların önerileri doğrultusundan havuzdan çıkarılmıştır. Böylelikle ölçek geliştirme kriterlerine uygun olarak 55 maddeli taslak form elde edilmiştir. 
 
 Oluşturulan taslak form TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş.’de görev yapmakta toplamda 250 tren makinistine uygulanmıştır. Uygulama sonrasında elde edilen veri setinin faktör analizi için uygunluğunu belirmek amacıyla yapılan KMO test değeri; ,929 olarak belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca ölçme aracının açıkladığı toplam varyans oranı ise %72,579’dur. Ölçme aracının kapsam geçerliliği akademisyen ve sektördeki uzmanlardan oluşan 10 kişinin görüşü alınarak sağlanmaya çalışılmıştır. Açımlayıcı faktör analizi sonucunda ölçüm aracının 32 maddeden oluşan 5 faktör altında toplandığı görülmüştür. Bu faktörler sırasıyla “Raporlamada etkinlik”, “İşbirliği ve Gönüllü Katılım”, “Bireysel Sorumluluk”, “Prosedürel Liderlik” ve “Yöneticilerin Desteği” şeklindedir. Ölçeğin yapı geçerliğini test etmek amacıyla doğrulayıcı faktör analizi yapılmıştır. Doğrulayıcı faktör analizi için örneklem miktarı 652’dir. Elde edilen değerler ölçeğin geçerli ve güvenilir olduğunu göstermiştir.

Profitability from training and development programmes

The purpose of this document is to provide a conceptual overview of the employee training and improvement software and its benefits. This post examines the nature and drivers of employee training and software improvement, and then discusses the impact on quality for employees and the organization. Organizations are finding it difficult to live aggressively in today's global economy. The importance of developing worker improvement software is for companies looking to gain a competitive edge. Staffs are valued for help from the agency and achievement or failure of the relief agency in the overall staff performance. Therefore, companies fund large amounts of education and training programs for employees. In addition, in education software is a great support for companies to highlight the knowledge, understanding and potential of employees. There is a great dialogue between specialists and researchers about the impact of enhancement software on every employee and agency. The overview defined here is a careful review of the literature on essential worker enhancement software and its benefits for companies and employees.

Electric personal mobility device driver behaviors, their antecedents and consequences: A narrative review

Introduction: Electric personal mobility devices (ePMDs), as well as crashes involving ePMDs, have been on the rise all over the world. The objectives of this study were: (a) to summarize the literature based on a narrow definition of ePMD (excluding e-bikes) and (b) to sort out the results to fit into a psychological and behavioral framework. The available literature was sorted into three main categories: the behaviors of ePMD drivers, their antecedents, and their consequences. Method. A narrative review of the literature was carried out in 101 documents published between January 2018 and July 2021. Results. Regarding behavioral antecedents, regulations vary from country to country. ePMDs were found to be used primarily by males under 40 years of age. We found no studies on driving skills or learning, driver education or training, or on the effect of health messages on attitudes and behavior. Regarding the main behaviors themselves, the drivers’ reasons for focusing on ePMDs were our main focus (use for short distances and mainly for commuting, shopping, and leisure). Few of the studies we reviewed explored the interactions between ePMD drivers and other road users in natural or simulated environments, and the influence of road infrastructure on behavior has rarely been studied. Regarding health consequences, reported ePMD crashes resulted in serious head and limb injuries, especially head and leg fractures. The lack of personal protective equipment (e.g., a helmet) increased the severity of crashes. The conclusion highlights gaps in the literature from a psychological and behavioral point of view.

Increasing the Safety of the Car

Road safety has improved significantly in recent years thanks to effective action taken at European and national level with changes in legislation related to improving driver and road training. As a result, EU roads are some of the safest in the world. The EU has introduced mandatory fitment of electronic stability control systems on all vehicles and advanced emergency braking and lane departure warning systems, contributing to a reduction in fatalities. Modern active safety technologies are increasingly being implemented in vehicles. The purpose of this report is to present a complex of systems, their functionality, benefit and significance for increasing road safety.

ВЛИЯНИЕ КАЧЕСТВА ПОДГОТОВКИ ВОДИТЕЛЬСКОГО СОСТАВА НА БЕЗОПАСНОСТЬ ДВИЖЕНИЯ

The influence of the quality of professional train-ing of drivers of vehicles on the level of traffic violations committed by them in the conditions of transport work is considered. Depending on the level of theoretical knowledge and age data of the driver, the coefficient of its theoretical readiness to drive the vehicle is determined.

High-speed train drivers’ operation performance: Key factors, models, and management implications

High-speed train (HST) is a fast, reliable, and environmental-friendly transportation means for medium to long-distance travel. HST drivers need to continuously keep alert for a few hours, detect potential hazards in time and make quick reactions, and strictly follow standard operating procedures. The objectives of this study were to identify the key factors that are related to HST drivers' operation performance, to propose a validated prediction model, and to provide practical management suggestions to improve performance. Six focus groups with 22 HST drivers and 18 frontline managers and a questionnaire survey with 243 HST drivers were conducted to collect qualitative and quantitative data concerning the potential influencing factors. A prediction model with seven key predictors was then developed and validated to distinguish high and low-performance HST drivers. Accordingly, management guidelines were proposed based for HST frontline managers to improve their drivers' operation performance by optimizing the three scheduling factors, such as adjusting sleep duration, intermittent rest duration, and HST-type switching frequency; and managing the four non-scheduling factors, such as periodically checking HST drivers’ health condition, frustration, and fatigue, and providing corresponding interventions. Relevance to industryFindings of the study provide practical management guidelines based on the obtained high-speed train drivers' operation performance prediction model.

Challenges of replacing train drivers in driverless and unattended railway mainline systems—A Swedish case study on delay logs descriptions

Currently, the challenges of driverless or unattended train operation have not been described in detail and are often grouped into one category. This paper contributes to filling a knowledge gap regarding the roles of the train driver about the potential use of automatic train operation (ATO) on high grade of automation (GoA) levels. The results contribute to a better understanding of the challenges with driverless or unattended train operation to support strategies on how to utilize ATO on a wider range of trains than is presently the case. We use the Swedish railway network as a case study and delay logs written by train dispatchers for 2019. Our research quantifies how often unplanned events occur in which the train driver is needed, and the role of the train driver in solving these problems. In addition to this we elaborate on existing GoA levels definitions and propose a revised model that highlights more aspects of the train drivers’ roles. We have identified six categories in which an action by the driver is required: Detect, Report, Inspect, Adjust, Manage passengers, and Respond to train orders. The study illustrates some of the challenges with driverless or unattended train operation, and points to the need to develop strategies not only for the driving aspects of ATO but also for the more general technical operational management of rolling stock in high GoA levels.

A validation study comparing performance in a low-fidelity train-driving simulator with actual train driving performance

BackgroundAlthough common in other industries, such as the automotive sector, no train-driving validation study has been found in the existing literature. The present paper intends to fill that gap by comparing the results of train-driving performance in a physically low-fidelity but highly functional simulator with real train-driving performance. MethodThirty-four train driver students in the final part of their basic education were assessed in a 45-minute simulator test using the number of driving errors as the performance indicator. The results were compared with the performance at 11 weeks of internship as measured by supervisors grading according to a standard procedure. One of the classes (17 to-be drivers) was affected by restrictions related to COVID-19, which led to a shortened internship and distance learning during parts of the internship. The study also intended to measure the effect of the restrictions and the types of errors the drivers made by comparing the two classes. ResultsA significant correlation was found between the number of driving errors and internship grades, r = −0.45, p <.05. The results also revealed that COVID-19 restrictions negatively affected performance, as the students from Class B made significantly more driving errors and obtained a lower internship grade than those from Class A. ConclusionsThis paper shows that this type of low-fidelity simulator is well suited for measuring real train-driving performance. A measurement method that can predict long-term driving should have implications for both research and practical usability. Researchers can use this for studying the effects of, for example, different training methods, while train operation companies can use the method to test their drivers' skills and intervene before an actual accident occurs.

Perceptions of novice driver education needs; Development of a scale based on the Goals for driver education using young driver and parent samples

Professional driver education and training has traditionally been used to improve the driving skills of young people with the expectation that they will drive more safely and therefore be less likely to crash. Despite this, much research has failed to find such an effect. The Goals for Driver Education (GDE) is a theoretical framework developed to improve the effectiveness of driver education. The GDE seeks to draw attention to a broader array of factors that may influence the driving of young people and hence increase the scope of what is included in driver education and training. Within the GDE, factors affecting driving and driver education are grouped into combinations of four hierarchical levels that represent influences on driving at increasing levels of abstraction (GDE level 1: Vehicle manoeuvring; GDE level 2: Mastery of traffic situations; GDE level 3: Goals and contexts of driving; GDE level 4: Goals for life and skills for living) and three types of individual competencies (Knowledge and skills; Risk-increasing factors; Self-evaluation skills). However, to date there have been few, if any, attempts to operationalise the GDE in a quantitative way. In response, the Perceptions of Driver Education Scale (PDES) was developed to gain an understanding of what two important stakeholder groups in the driver education and training ecosystem perceived to be important to be taught to novice drivers. Understanding these perceptions may lead to greater acceptance of the driver education and training that is designed and make it more effective. Following rigorous scale development procedures, thirty-five items were developed a priori using expert opinion and deployed, via an online survey, to a sample of parents of novice drivers (N = 518) and a separate sample of novice drivers (N = 247), both from Queensland, Australia. Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed on the parent responses and Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed using the novice driver responses. A 29-item 9 factor solution was judged to be the best fit with the overall scale and each of the factors displaying strong levels of internal consistency. The 9 factors cover most hierarchical level and competency combinations, although removal of items meant that there is no representation concerning perceptions of Self-evaluation skills related to Level 3: Goals and contexts of driving within the PDES. Overall, the PDES is a valid and reliable instrument for investigating the aspects of driver education and training that are perceived as important by novice drivers and parents. The scale may also be applicable for use with other stakeholder groups and could also be used to evaluate pre-existing driver education and training programs.

Financial status and travel time to driving schools as barriers to obtaining a young driver license in a state with comprehensive young driver licensing policy

The highest lifetime risk for a motor vehicle crash is immediately after the point of licensure, with teen drivers most at risk. Comprehensive teen driver licensing policies that require completion of driver education and behind-the-wheel training along with Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) are associated with lower young driver crash rates early in licensure. We hypothesize that lack of financial resources and travel time to driving schools reduce the likelihood for teens to complete driver training and gain a young driver’s license before age 18. We utilize licensing data from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles on over 35,000 applicants between 15.5 and 25 years old collected between 2017 and 2019. This dataset of driving schools is maintained by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and is linked with Census tract-level socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census. Using logit models, we estimate the completion of driver training and license obtainment among young drivers in the Columbus, Ohio metro area. We find that young drivers in lower-income Census tracts have a lower likelihood to complete driver training and get licensed before age 18. As travel time to driving schools increases, teens in wealthier Census tracts are more likely to forgo driver training and licensure than teens in lower-income Census tracts. For jurisdictions aspiring to improve safe driving for young drivers, our findings help shape recommendations on policies to enhance access to driver training and licensure especially among teens living in lower-income Census tracts.

Cardiovascular risk factors among train drivers, Mansoura, Egypt

Cardiovascular risk factors and diseases are the most prevalent health conditions in train drivers. A comparative cross-sectional study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of some cardiovascular risk factors among train drivers. A pre-designed questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and occupational data. Physical activity and dietary habits were assessed, psychological distress was measured. Out of 100 recruited train drivers, 62% had obesity, 46% were hypertensive, 72.8% had dyslipidemia, and 71% had mild and/or moderate level of psychological distress. Being a train driver is independently associated with the likelihood of having obesity (AOR = 14.2) and psychological distress (AOR = 6.6). The prevalence of various cardiovascular risk factors was significantly higher among train drivers than the comparison group. Being a train driver is independently associated with obesity and psychological distress.

Locomotive engineer safety with single manning operation

ABSTRACT The paper is about practice, rather than research, and shows how a complex systems engineering project was done. The project was unique, involving a problem never before investigated, namely, to find the difference in occupational safety of a train driver between being alone in a locomotive cab and having an accompanying assistant. The project used a systems methodology discussed elsewhere. It required understanding the overall New Zealand Rail system and ensuring the objective was clear. A strategy was developed based on a set of system principles. Fault trees gave accident probabilities, from which relative values of Fatal Accident Frequency Rates were computed. As a practical simplification, detailed analysis was confined to a limited part of the overall rail system which could be taken as representative of the whole. Care was taken to treat input information as a whole rather than as separate unconnected items, emphasising information quality, which varied depending on type and source. Major points were the importance of (a) a clear and coherent strategy including careful system decomposition, (b) having a body of information of high and consistent quality, (c) fostering clarity and transparency in communication, and (d) having – and learning – good communication skills. This work is part of a Special Issue on Systems Perspectives: Clarity through Examples (see Dias 2023).

Improving traffic safety by improving drivers training category "B"

The article refers to the lack of a system in the training of professional personnel, taking into account their potential for mental and physical development, the stability of the psycho-physiological state, motivation and other personal qualities of drivers. The issue of improving road safety by improving the system of training drivers of category "B" is being considered. Recommendations are presented for the advanced training program for taxi drivers to ensure the necessary level of road safety. Keywords: road safety, accident rate, traffic accident, driver training system, hardware and software complex, skill level, algorithm

Novel ‘Tashkent — the Bread City’ by Alexander Neverov in Context of Russian Prose about Homeless Children in 1920s

This article examines Alexander Neverov’s novel ‘Tashkent — the Bread City’ in the context of the tradition of Russian prose about homeless children that emerged in the 1920s. Despite thematic similarities with other works about homeless children created during the same period (such as a protagonist who is left to fend for themselves and forced to find food and learn independence and responsibility), Neverov’s novel stands out due to several key features. Firstly, it is characterized by an abundance of naturalistic descriptions, depicting diseases, hunger, and numerous deaths during the period of the Volga famine without romanticizing the life of little vagabonds. Secondly, the plot unfolds in a fairy tale-like narrative structure, with the road becoming a chronotope — a small protagonist sets out on a distant journey, which is constructed as a series of trials and deprivations that become his initiation and on which he is helped by “magical assistants” (a sister of mercy, a head of an orphanage, and a train driver). Finally, biblical allusions are woven into the narrative, with the symbols of bread, Paradise, and dogs taking on symbolic roles. The journey itself is perceived as a symbolic journey of the soul towards eternal life and Paradise. This article contributes to the research on Russian prose about homeless children in the 1920s and sheds light on the unique features of Neverov’s novel.

State policy in the field of ensuring road safety in Ukraine through the prism of regulatory initiatives: analysis and prospects for implementation

A comparative legal analysis of draft legal acts aimed at improving road safety (draft laws No. 8369 of 19.01.2023, No. 8353 of 12.01.2023, No. 8356 of 12.01.2023) has been carried out. It has been noted that today the legislator has carried out meaningful work aimed at improving the current legislation in terms of road safety.&#x0D; It has been proved that the adoption of a certain act should not have adverse consequences in the lawmaking process and create a situation where there is competition of legal norms, as well as contradictions between other legal acts in force in the area under study. In addition, it has been stated that the draft laws under consideration are to some extent controversial and debatable, they contain terminological uncertainty, and may cause the unplanned (additional) burden on the budget of Ukraine and local budgets. It has been offered proposals and comments on how to solve these problems and improve the law-making process.&#x0D; It has been emphasised that there is a need to implement the strategic directions of the State to ensure the education of conscious road users, strengthening road safety, infrastructure, constructive vehicle safety, as well as planning of public authorities to ensure road safety at various levels of government, which in turn should contribute to the implementation of the national policy in the field under study. The position that road users, including children, should be trained in three stages has been supported: 1) elementary level is for preschool children; 2) safety basics is for primary school (teaching safe driving for themselves and others on electric scooters, monowheels, segways and similar vehicles); 3) full-fledged study, in particular, according to the programme for training drivers of scooters, motorcycles and cars, with mandatory testing of knowledge by means of an exam, is for secondary school.

Train drivers' work-related stress and job satisfaction.

This study investigated which work-related stressors are rated highest by train drivers, and which are strongest correlated with consideration to change profession. In a questionnaire, a total of N = 251 Swedish train drivers rated 17 work-related stressors, to which extent they had considered quitting their profession, and if they had experienced a PUT (person under train) accident. PUTs (when experienced) and irregular work-hours are the main stressors, but the strongest predictors of consideration to change profession are those that are encountered often, and last over time (e.g., irregular work-hours, r = .61; and major organizational changes, r = .51). For effective reduction of stress and improved job satisfaction, focus should be on aspects that affect everyday life for drivers, such as better working shifts, less delays, and improved social climate.

The analysis and optimization of thermal sensation of train drivers under occupational thermal exposure.

Prolonged exposure of train drivers to thermal discomfort can lead to occupational safety and health (OSH) risks, causing physical and mental injuries. Traditional method of treating human skin as a wall surface fail to observe accurate skin temperature changes or obtain human thermal comfort that adapts to the thermal environment. This study employs the Stolwijk human thermal regulation model to investigate and optimize the thermal comfort of train drivers. To minimize the time-consuming design optimization, a pointer optimization algorithm based on radial basis function (RBF) approximation was utilized to optimize the train cab ventilation system design and enhance drivers' thermal comfort. The train driver thermal comfort model was developed using Star-CCM+ and 60 operating conditions were sampled using an Optimal Latin Hypercube Design (Opt LHD). We analyzed the effects of air supply temperature, air supply volume, air supply angle, solar radiation intensity and solar altitude angle on the local thermal sensation vote (LTSV) and overall thermal sensation vote (OTSV) of the train driver. Finally, the study obtained the optimal air supply parameters for the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) in the train cabin under extreme summer conditions, effectively improving the thermal comfort of the driver.

Improving Truck Driver and Vulnerable Road User Interactions Through Driver Training: An Interview Study With Canadian Subject Matter Experts

Collisions between trucks and vulnerable road users (VRUs) represent one of the most severe types of road collisions. Research initiatives to mitigate truck–VRU collisions include vehicle redesign, infrastructure improvements, and driver warning systems. Truck driver training is a complementary solution that can lead to improved driving behavior and collision reduction. We aimed to understand the perceptions of subject matter experts of current truck driver training in Ontario, Canada, to identify gaps and potential improvements, particularly targeting VRU safety in urban areas. Further, we investigated the degree to which VRU safety is covered and the potential to incorporate it in training through simulators. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 truck driver trainees, novice and experienced truck drivers, a driving instructor, and road safety professionals. The participants highlighted a notable gap between current training and real-world truck driving. VRU safety and hazard anticipation training emerged as a missing component in training. Nine out of 11 participants who received simulator training perceived it positively and recommended it for its safe and relatively realistic environment. The main topics that should be incorporated in VRU safety training, as recommended by interviewees, include training on difficult truck maneuvers with presence of VRUs, anticipating hazardous VRU actions, and navigating difficult infrastructure components. This work presents subject matter expert perceptions of current truck driver training in Ontario, Canada, and identifies gaps and improvements targeting VRU safety. Although the study is based on Ontario, the results can apply across Canada and beyond, where trucks pose dangers to VRUs.

Transport risk modeling for hazardous chemical transport Companies—A case study in China

Traffic accidents of hazardous chemical transport vehicles strongly correlate with the operation and management level of road transport companies. An accurate risk assessment of these transport companies will play a critical role in improving their management and supervision and in turn the overall safety of roadways, property, and most importantly people's lives. Therefore, this study constructs a logistic regression scorecard model to evaluate transport risk of hazardous chemical transport companies and evaluates it using a case study in China. This study first selected 16 indicators from the dimensions of driver behaviors, driving performance, dangerous goods and company business operation to construct company user portraits. Next, a K-means++ algorithm was used to cluster the data samples of the companies on a monthly basis. On this basis, a scorecard was constructed based on a logistic regression scorecard model to realize and visualize the monthly risk portrait of companies. The constructed scorecard predicted transport risk of companies accurately. The results show that the more complex the types of dangerous goods transported, the higher the risk value of the company in the dangerous goods index. Moreover, for transport companies, the driver behaviors and driving performance on their trips are closely related to their business risk. In a practical application, the proposed scorecard can realize the dynamic risk monitoring of transport companies and enable managers and supervision departments to clarify where the risk is from. The transport companies can also carry out safety training and rectification for drivers and operations to reduce the occurrence of hazardous materials-related traffic accidents.