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With speeding being a serious issue for road safety throughout the UK and beyond, is it possible that technology has a role to play in getting us to obey the limits?
Intelligent Speed adaption is one such technology that can help with this and it can work in a number of ways (Satelite devices feeding information to the car, engineering within the vehicle). A large scale trial of the active accelerator pedal system was completed in Sweden between 2000-2002. 281 test drove the system for six months to a year, and feedback on the product found that there was a lower willingness to pay for the tool than other driver assist systems on the market. The product was well received by the older, female private driver and was less well received by the young, typically male company car driver. Despite this many did think that the tool had a positive impact on driver safety and performance, but as an idea it is clearly not sold to drivers. Once again, this research demonstrates how technology is a useful, but not an essential addition to driving and driving behaviour.
Driver distraction remains a hot topic when it comes to road safety, and some new research has just been published which sheds some further light on the issue.
New research from The NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre in Sydney Australia suggests that listening to the radio or your childs DVD player in the backseat is not as distracting as some think. The study looked at the impact of that no audio materials, audio materials from a movie and audio from the radio had on distraction (lateral control, speed control and response to hazards) and interestingly, audio materials of all types were found to have a minimal impact on distraction. The reason put forward for this was that listening while driving is well practiced and does not involve speech production and therefore the research suggests that no regulation is needed, although further real world (rather than simulated) tests are recommended*.
So where does this lead incar safety screen, such as those provided with some satelitte navigation systems? New research assessing the safety impact of invehicle information systems for use in tunnels** actually found that in-vehicle information systems can improve safety, improve driver’s situational awareness and reduce anxiety, but they may also increase mental workload and distraction in some circumstances. Specific study details were as follows;
“Using the displays, drivers improved their speed control but had some difficulty in maintaining lane stability, apparently due to some distraction imposed by the displays. Yet, neither of them increased the mental workload relative to driving without a display. The drivers found the in-vehicle displays useful and responded well to the presented information. The drivers preferred the more informative display to the minimalist display, although it slightly increased distraction from road.”
“In light of the potential benefits of in-vehicle displays, the level of distraction was relatively minor and should not compromise driving safety. Apparently, the highly informative display provided drivers with more information that reduced anxiety and boredom, which are common psychological experiences during tunnel driving. Thus, safety-related information displays can be added to improve safety even when some of their benefits are offset by increased distraction.”
The RAC Foundation believes that technology has a role to play in improving driver safety, but they need to be used with care and common sense. These new pieces of research once again supports the finding that less (in terms of in car stimulatants) is not always more in terms of road safety and it is important that the right balance is struck.
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Focusing on the older driver: Comment piece
November 5, 2007 in Comment, Research | by elizabethdainton | 1 comment
Few people can think of anything more important than getting out and about and this is especially the case for the UK’s largely active ‘older’ population. We all know a 70 year old who is more active than your average 40 year old and with age being considered all but a number, it will come as a surprise to many that the issue of old age is now being talked about in relation to driving.
Many older people, like the rest of the population, rely on their cars to do the weekly shop, attend medical appointments and go on outings with friends and family. Taking away the opportunity to drive as a matter of course is not only wrong, but will also have devastating consequences for the quality of life of those effected. Older people who find themselves without a car often feel isolated and if the local bus service is poor or too difficult to use and there are few relatives or friends available to give lifts previously independent individuals can find getting to and from the things they used to take for granted very difficult.
The fact that older drivers rely on their cars is not enough on its own to refuse any attempt at regulating driving, but is the Government right to suggest a change in the rules? Is re-testing when people reach their seventy’s, often with many years of experience behind them, a reasonable idea?
When you look at the statistics it is certainly true that drivers aged seventy and over are three times as likely to be killed or seriously injured in accidents as young drivers (Association of British Insurers, 2006), and this is largely down to frailty increasing with age. Declining health in old age (e.g. eyesight and hearing changes) can also affect driving ability, but poor health alone should not be used as a basis for revoking a driving license, without evidence of its impact on driving ability. When accidents occur that involve older drivers they tend to happen during the day, at junctions and involve those motorists who drive less than 3000km per year.
Our research shows that many older drivers are already taking good precautions when it comes to regulating their driving. Many are aware of their changing abilities and self-regulate their driving as a result, by restricting where and/or when they drive to avoid situations they find difficult such as driving at night or driving in unfamiliar locations.
At the RAC Foundation we would like to see this approach to self-regulation extended and supported by local GP’s and family members, who know the individuals the best. A blanket policy such as retesting, is a very blunt instrument and has the potential to cause untold stress to older people.
Some will say that there are stubborn older drivers, who will not listen to well- intentioned advice and of course these people are out there, but the vast majority when faced with the reality that they might cause injury to someone else through their motoring actions, tend to see the importance of giving up their license, providing they have the support in their local community to do so. In extreme circumstances procedures need to be in place to revoke licenses when reasoning with an older motorist is impossible and their driving ability is severely impaired, but this should not be imposed unnecessarily on the responsible majority. Instead older drivers and their families need advice and support on how to adapt their driving habits to continue motoring safely into older age.
The UK has an aging population and it would be wise for Government to start planning for the fact that more of us will be on the road for longer. Older driver designated parking spaces, larger print signage and reduced glare road markings would all help the experience of the older driver. The availability and promotion of voluntary driver training schemes also needs to be improved and if these programmes were linked more effectively with existing clubs and social activities they would become a useful, non threatening resource for older people.
With an aging population comes the need to look at how we continue driving into old age, but the broad, restrictive policies currently being floated are likely to have severe mobility consequences for older people. Of course the most hazardous drivers, whatever their age need to be identified and dealt with accordingly, but where older drivers are concerned providing advice, support and guidelines within local support networks is likely to be the most effective and fair way forward for the responsible majority.
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Advise to older drivers:
If you are over 70 it may be worth considering the following:
· Visiting the optician for a check up;
· Improving and brushing up your driving skills at a voluntary driver improvement scheme;
· Start making use of the public transport in your local area, so if there comes a time when you decide driving is no longer for you, you know the other options available;
· If you’re finding that night-time driving or a particular route is proving difficult -avoid these situations and stick to driving at times and in places where you feel confident;
· Be brave and take the plunge. Talk to your family or GP about your driving concerns to see if they can suggest alternative ways for you to get safely from A to B.
· Car share- if you still enjoy driving but would rather drive only a couple of times a week, see if there is someone who lives nearby who would like to share the supermarket run. Not only would this relieve you from driving responsibility once in a while but it also reduces your carbon footprint by having one car’s emissions instead of two.
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