Evaluation of a Hazard Anticipation Training Program (STRAP) on Secondary Task Engagement in High Risk Scenarios

Distracted driving involving secondary tasks is known to lead to an increased likelihood of being involved in motor vehicle crashes. Some secondary tasks are unnecessary and should never be performed. But other secondary tasks, e.g., operating the defroster, are critical to safe driving. Ideally, the driver should schedule when to perform the critical tasks such that the likelihood of a hazard materializing is relatively small. The current study evaluates a training program -- STRAP (Secondary Task Regulatory & Anticipatory Program) -- which is designed to make drivers aware of latent hazards in the hope that they regulate engagement in secondary tasks which they are performing at the time the latent hazard appears. The secondary tasks include both tasks that require drivers to take their eyes off the road (e.g., operating the defroster) and those which do not (e.g., talking on a cell phone). Participants were assigned either to STRAP or placebo training. After training, the groups navigated eight different scenarios on a driving simulator and were instructed to engage during the drive in as many secondary tasks as possible as long as they feel safe to do so. Secondary tasks are fully user paced. The results show that STRAP trained drivers were more likely to detect latent hazards and associated clues than placebo trained drivers. STRAP training holds out the promise of providing individuals with the necessary skills and proactive awareness to make safe decisions regarding the non-performance or interruption of a secondary task in the presence of a potential latent hazard.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANB30 Operator Education and Regulation. Alternate title: Evaluation of Training Program Designed to Decrease Young Drivers' Secondary Task Engagement in High-Risk Scenarios.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Krishnan, Akhilesh
  • Samuel, Siby
  • Dündar, Ceyda
  • Romoser, Matthew R E
  • Fisher, Donald L
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
• Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Distraction; Driver training; Highway safety; Recently qualified drivers; Simulation; Training programs; Young adults
• Uncontrolled Terms: Secondary tasks
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01551725
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-1820
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 27 2015 11:24AM