Safety Manager and Commercial Driver Opinions and Acceptance of Onboard Safety Systems

The purpose of this project was to collect qualitative information on the acceptance and utility of three onboard safety systems (OBSS) using focus groups with driver and safety management personnel. These OBSS technologies were forward collision warning (FCW), lane departure warning (LDW), and roll stability control (RSC) systems. Topics addressed in the focus groups included participant perceptions and opinions of each OBSS. It was anticipated that the information obtained from drivers and safety managers regarding their opinions and perceptions of these OBSSs will advance their use in the trucking industry. Twelve focus groups were conducted, six each with drivers and safety managers (drivers and safety managers attended separate meetings to ensure an open and frank discussion). Several themes regarding the carriers’ OBSSs were discussed during the focus group meetings, including: training, benefits of the systems, drawbacks of the systems, and suggestions for improvement. The research team organized participants’ comments regarding each of these themes using content analyses. Regarding FCW, drivers were “satisfied” with the technology and “strongly agreed” that FCW was effective in improving safety; staff were “satisfied” and “very satisfied” with FCW and “strongly agreed” that FCW was effective in improving safety. Regarding LDW, drivers were “satisfied” with the technology and “strongly agreed” that LDW was effective in improving safety; staff were “satisfied” with LDW and “strongly agreed” that LDW was effective in improving safety. Regarding RSC, drivers were “satisfied” with RSC and “strongly agreed” that RSC was effective in improving safety.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANB70 Truck and Bus Safety
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Mabry, Erin
  • Hickman, Jeffrey
  • 0000-0003-4542-1506
  • Camden, Mathew
  • Marburg, Laurel
  • Hanowski, Rich
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2012-1-22 to 2012-1-26
• Date: 2012

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 17p
• Monograph Title: TRB 91st Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acceptance; Automatic vehicle monitoring; Crash avoidance systems; Motor carriers; Truck drivers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Forward collision warning; Lane departures; Roll stability control
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01371354
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 12-1249
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 30 2012 3:01PM