Evaluating Emotion Regulation Techniques for Supporting Driving Safety and Performance

People operating motor vehicles are often required to engage in decision-making while under substantial cognitive loads imposed by the driving environment. In such situations, distractions, both external and internal, can compromise the safety of individuals and the system. Driving under the influence of elevated emotions has been shown to increase the risk associated with driving by 10 times compared to driving in a calmer emotional state. Aggressive driving behaviors, which include driver interaction with other drivers on the roadway, lane change behavior, and speeding, are often associated with rage and anger, but they are also seen in the experience of elevated states of happiness. Therefore, there is a need for interventions to de-escalate elevated emotional states in a manner that improves driving safety and performance while imposing minimal additional load on the driver to engage with these interventions. This study employed three interventions that utilized different sensory modalities and a range of cognitive demands from the driver and compared them to driving under anger and happiness with no intervention. Results suggest that the use of interventions can have a positive effect on aspects of driving, such as tailgating, speeding, and yellow light behavior, as well as the driver’s workload.

• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/73295
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Safety Through Disruption University Transportation Center (Safe-D)

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute
  College Station, TX  United States 

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Susindar, Sahinya
  • 0000-0003-4684-3380
  • Ferris, Thomas
  • 0000-0002-4326-5784
• Publication Date: 2023-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 30p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Distracted driving; Driver performance; Drivers; Emotions; Highway safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01908451
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: TTI-Student-09
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747115
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 20 2024 9:14AM