Where are we on driver distraction? Methods, approaches and recommendations

Abstract

Research within the road transport domain is progressively recognising the importance of taking a systems view of accident analysis. This signals a movement away from the more traditional approaches that aim to determine cause-effect relationships and attribute blame to the end user. The multiple accidents associated with distracted driving have typically sought to establish the role of the driver and attribute responsibility to the individual. This paper will look at the approach that has been used to study distracted driving, the methods employed to study it and the recommendations they have provided to practise. The role of rapidly developing technology is discussed as more sources of distraction are presented to the driver. The limitations of the current approach lead to the proposition of a systems approach to driver distraction that aligns with the study of safety in other domains. This paper provides a novel overview of the variety of methodologies used to study distracted driving and how they may impact on the resulting countermeasures. The suggestion of a research-practise gap within the road transport domain is explored. The benefits of systems based approaches, and their place in advancing driver distraction research for the development of future recommendations, are presented.

More information

Identifiers

ORCID for Katie Joanne Parnell: orcid.org/0000-0002-5962-4892

ORCID for Neville A. Stanton: orcid.org/0000-0002-8562-3279

ORCID for Katherine Plant: orcid.org/0000-0002-4532-2818

Catalogue record

Export record

Altmetrics