Data on the Driver: A sampling of traffic psychology and opportunities

Bryan E. Porter, Ph.D.October 31, 2014 for DriveSense ‘14

A few traffic psychology topics

The multiple E’s

Self-report to field and archival data

Naturalistic to direct observations

Simulators

Neuroscience, physiology, social, cognitive, behavioral, clinical

Human factors (person-machine)

Risky behaviors / perceptions of risk

Road user vulnerability considerations

Countermeasure development and evaluation

Travel mode choice

Interdisciplinary in nature

The Behavioral Psychology Research& Analysis Team (BPRATs)

----Looking deep, and local to regional

Rural vs. Urban Focus

Field Sites in Virginia

Original in 2007 (“State 28”)

Added in 2008 (“New 11”)

Virginia Field Stations 2007 – pres. CIOT = Click It or Ticket

---- The federally-mandated piece of the puzzle

The Statewide Focus

The 15 counties

136 sites across 15 county/regional areas: interstate ramps, arterials, local roads

And the 2013 use rate was…

79.7%

Virginia Observed Belt Use History (’87 – ’13)

---Example from Ash, Edwards, & Porter (2014)---Going macro-level combining others’ field work with population-level predictors

Traffic Safety Culture

Figure 1: Relationship of state’s seat belt law (Primary Enforcement vs. Other) to seat belt

compliance rates as a function of a state’s academic achievement (median split). Error bars =

standard error of the mean, F ratios = the simple effect of primary enforcement law at each level

of academic achievement.

Figure 2: Relationship of state’s seat belt law (Primary Enforcement vs. Other) to seat belt

compliance rates as a function of a state’s Health score (median split). Error bars = standard error

of the mean, F ratios = the simple effect of primary enforcement law at each level of Health

score.

Figure 3: Relationship of state’s seat belt law (Primary Enforcement vs. Other) to seat belt

compliance rates as a function of a state’s per capita Gross State Product (median split). Error

bars = standard error of the mean, F ratios = the simple effect of primary enforcement law at

each level of Gross State Product.

Figure 4: Relationship of state’s seat belt law (Primary Enforcement vs. Other) to seat belt

compliance rates as a function of a state’s Government Effectiveness (median split). Error bars =

standard error of the mean, F ratios = the simple effect of primary enforcement law at each level

of Government Effectiveness.

Figure 5: Relationship of state’s seat belt law (Primary Enforcement vs. Other) to seat belt

compliance rates as a function of a state’s Proportion of Rural Roads (median split). Error bars =

standard error of the mean, F ratios = the simple effect of primary enforcement law at each level

of rural road proportion.

Challenges and Opportunities

Automated Vehicles

What’s next, then, for us?

Mobile data collections vs. Distraction risks

Developing efficient collection methods that LINK:

(1) self-reported internal data

(2) behavioralobservations, including long-term naturalistic and direct observations

(3) relationships in/among environmental, cultural, social levels

now go out there and observe!

For More Information

Bryan E. Porter, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA 23529-0267

Phone: (757) 683-4458

Email: bporter@odu.edu