Patterns in transitions of visual attention during baseline driving and during interaction with visual-manual and voice-based interfaces.

Voice interfaces reduce visual demand compared with visual-manual interfaces, but the extent depends on design. This study compared visual demand during baseline driving with driving while using voice or manual inputs to place calls with Chevrolet MyLink, Volvo Sensus, or a smartphone. Mean glance duration and total eyes-off-road-time increased when using manual input compared with baseline driving; only eyes off road time increased with voice input. Confusion matrices developed with hidden Markov modelling characterise the similarity of glance sequences during baseline driving and while making phone calls. Glance sequences with the MyLink voice interface were misclassified as baseline driving more frequently than the other voice interfaces. Conversely, glance sequences with the Sensus and smartphone voice interfaces were more often misclassified as manual phone calling. Thus, the MyLink voice interface not only reduced the overall visual demand of placing calls, but produced glance patterns more similar to driving without another task. Practitioner Summary: The attention map and confusion matrix methodologies provide ways of characterising similarities and differences in glance behaviour across secondary task conditions, complementing traditional temporally based metrics (e.g. mean glance duration, long duration glances) while addressing some of the limitations of total-eyes-off-road-time (TEORT) for comparing secondary task behaviour to baseline driving.

Multi-modal demands of a smartphone used to place calls and enter addresses during highway driving relative to two embedded systems.

There is limited research on trade-offs in demand between manual and voice interfaces of embedded and portable technologies. Mehler et al. identified differences in driving performance, visual engagement and workload between two contrasting embedded vehicle system designs (Chevrolet MyLink and Volvo Sensus). The current study extends this work by comparing these embedded systems with a smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S4). None of the voice interfaces eliminated visual demand. Relative to placing calls manually, both embedded voice interfaces resulted in less eyes-off-road time than the smartphone. Errors were most frequent when calling contacts using the smartphone. The smartphone and MyLink allowed addresses to be entered using compound voice commands resulting in shorter eyes-off-road time compared with the menu-based Sensus but with many more errors. Driving performance and physiological measures indicated increased demand when performing secondary tasks relative to 'just driving', but were not significantly different between the smartphone and embedded systems. Practitioner Summary: The findings show that embedded system and portable device voice interfaces place fewer visual demands on the driver than manual interfaces, but they also underscore how differences in system designs can significantly affect not only the demands placed on drivers, but also the successful completion of tasks.

Multi-modal assessment of on-road demand of voice and manual phone calling and voice navigation entry across two embedded vehicle systems.

One purpose of integrating voice interfaces into embedded vehicle systems is to reduce drivers' visual and manual distractions with 'infotainment' technologies. However, there is scant research on actual benefits in production vehicles or how different interface designs affect attentional demands. Driving performance, visual engagement, and indices of workload (heart rate, skin conductance, subjective ratings) were assessed in 80 drivers randomly assigned to drive a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox or Volvo XC60. The Chevrolet MyLink system allowed completing tasks with one voice command, while the Volvo Sensus required multiple commands to navigate the menu structure. When calling a phone contact, both voice systems reduced visual demand relative to the visual-manual interfaces, with reductions for drivers in the Equinox being greater. The Equinox 'one-shot' voice command showed advantages during contact calling but had significantly higher error rates than Sensus during destination address entry. For both secondary tasks, neither voice interface entirely eliminated visual demand. Practitioner Summary: The findings reinforce the observation that most, if not all, automotive auditory-vocal interfaces are multi-modal interfaces in which the full range of potential demands (auditory, vocal, visual, manipulative, cognitive, tactile, etc.) need to be considered in developing optimal implementations and evaluating drivers' interaction with the systems. Social Media: In-vehicle voice-interfaces can reduce visual demand but do not eliminate it and all types of demand need to be taken into account in a comprehensive evaluation.

Are front crash prevention systems less effective at preventing rear-end crashes where trucks and motorcycles are struck?

OBJECTIVE: Automatic emergency braking (AEB) and forward collision warning (FCW) are effective at preventing rear-end crashes, but they may perform better in some rear-end crash scenarios than others. The goal of this study was to estimate the effects of front crash prevention systems equipped to passenger vehicles in crashes where another passenger vehicle, a medium/heavy truck, or a motorcycle is struck and compare effectiveness by struck vehicle type. METHODS: More than 160,000 two-vehicle rear-end crashes were identified where a passenger vehicle with or without FCW and AEB was the striking vehicle and another passenger vehicle, medium/heavy truck, or motorcycle was the struck vehicle. Poisson regression was used to estimate the effect of front crash prevention by struck vehicle type on rear-end crash rates per registered vehicle year, accounting for the state and year of the crash and the make, model year, class, and engine type of the striking vehicle. RESULTS: Front crash prevention was associated with a 53% reduction in rear-end crash rates when striking another passenger vehicle, which was significantly larger than the reductions of 38% when striking a medium/heavy truck and 41% when striking a motorcycle. Reductions in rear-end injury crash rates when striking a passenger vehicle also were larger than when striking a medium/heavy truck and when striking a motorcycle. DISCUSSION: If all passenger vehicles were equipped with FCW and AEB that were as effective in crashes striking a truck or motorcycle as they are in crashes with another passenger vehicle, over 5,500 additional crashes with medium/heavy trucks and 500 with motorcycles could potentially be prevented annually in the United States above what would be expected from current front crash prevention systems. Extending front crash prevention testing in consumer information programs to include motorcycle and truck targets could encourage auto manufacturers to improve performance in these crash scenarios.

Can the speed limit be used as a surrogate for the striking vehicle's travel speed or delta-V in police-reported rear-end crashes?

Objective: A recent study by Kidd (2022) recommended that organizations evaluating front crash prevention (FCP) systems like automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning increase speed differentials in existing test scenarios from 25 mph to 45 mph to make the tests more representative of police-reported rear-end crashes. Kidd used the posted speed limit as a proxy for the striking vehicle's travel speed prior to the crash. The current study used velocity data from event data recorders (EDRs) in rear-end crashes to evaluate this assumption. These same data were used to replicate another study (Farmer 2003) that showed the speed limit was a poor surrogate for delta-V in rear-end crashes.Method: A total of 11,199 crash records during 2017-2020 were extracted from the Crash Investigation Sampling System database. The analysis was restricted to 436 of these records that involved two vehicles with a front-to-rear manner of collision or rear-end crash configuration with EDR data from the striking vehicle. The relationships between the posted speed limit and striking-vehicle travel speed and between the speed limit and delta-V were modeled using regression.Results: On average, the speed limit overestimated striking-vehicle travel speed by 2 mph, but the relationship between the speed limit and travel speed was not linear. The speed limit reasonably approximated travel speed on roads with speed limits of 30 and 50 mph or higher. It slightly overestimated travel speed on roads with 40-45 mph speed limits and underestimated it on roads with limits of 25 mph or less. The probability that the striking vehicle's travel speed was 25 mph or less on any road was 0.09. In contrast, the probability of the striking vehicle's travel speed being 45 mph or less was 0.54 overall and 0.75 or higher for roads with a speed limit between 25 and 45 mph. As found in prior research, there was no significant relationship between the speed limit and delta-V.Conclusion: The posted speed limit was a reasonable surrogate for the striking vehicle's travel speed prior to police-reported rear-end crashes on roads with a speed limit above 25 mph. It was not a reasonable surrogate for delta-V. Travel speeds on roads with speed limits of 25 mph or less were much higher than the speed limit, which suggests that existing scenarios used to evaluate FCP system performance represent travel speeds in fewer police-reported rear-end crashes than previously thought. Increasing speed differentials in existing FCP test scenarios to 45 mph would reflect the striking vehicle's travel speed in three quarters of rear-end crashes on roads with a speed limit of 45 mph or less.

Increasing seat belt use in the United States by promoting and requiring more effective seat belt reminder systems.

OBJECTIVE: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208 requires every passenger vehicle to provide an auditory signal lasting 4 to 8 seconds and a visual display lasting 60 seconds when the driver is unbelted at ignition. This requirement does not increase seat belt use. This paper summarizes the latest research on using vehicle technology to increase seat belt use and existing safety standards worldwide to support the strengthening of FMVSS 208. METHOD: Studies of seat belt reminders and interlocks published in peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, or as technical reports were identified in online databases and reviewed along with current requirements worldwide. Results from past research were used to estimate the front- and rear-seat daytime belt use rate and the annual number of lives that could be saved by a persistent audible reminder at each seating position. RESULTS: Most motor vehicle occupants routinely buckle up. Those that do not typically forget, are going a short distance, or find belts uncomfortable. Seat belt reminders can remind or motivate occupants to buckle up. Enhanced reminders that exceed FMVSS 208 increase belt use by 6 percentage points. Reminders also can increase rear belt use, and although required throughout the world, are not required by FMVSS 208. More persistent reminders, like those required around the world, with a continuous, long-lasting audible signal increase belt use by 30% among drivers who do not routinely buckle up. If every vehicle in the U.S. had such a reminder at each seating position, then it was estimated that the daytime belt use rate in the U.S. would increase about 3 percentage points from 90.3% to 93.2% in the front row and by about 6 percentage points from 80% to 85.9% in the rear row. It was estimated that the increase in belt use from a continuous, long-lasting audible reminder could potentially save about 1,600 lives each year.Seat belt interlocks can increase belt use, but acceptance is a stumbling block. Public outcry ensued after interlocks were required in 1973, and public sentiment remains negative. Opinions toward front and rear reminders are more favorable. Furthermore, past research suggests interlocks may be no more effective for increasing seat belt use than persistent audible reminders. The effect of interlocks on rear belt use have not been explored. CONCLUSION: Persistent seat belt reminder systems that last at least 90 seconds can potentially save hundreds of U.S. motorists each year. Robust empirical evidence, successful exemplars from organizations throughout the world, and a clear public health benefit exists for strengthening FMVSS 208 to require more persistent audible reminders at every seating position.

Characteristics of automatic emergency braking responses in passenger vehicles evaluated in the IIHS front crash prevention program.

Researchers can estimate the potential safety benefits of front crash prevention (FCP) systems by simulating system performance in rear-end crash scenarios reported to police or captured during naturalistic driving. Data to support assumptions about FCP systems in production vehicles, particularly automatic emergency braking (AEB), are limited. This study used detailed information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS's) FCP evaluation to characterize interventions in vehicles that performed well (superior-rated vehicles) and those that did not perform as well (basic/advanced-rated vehicles) when approaching a stationary surrogate vehicle on a test track at 20 and 40 km/h, and estimated performance in similar conditions at higher speeds. Vehicle and video data from 3,231 IIHS FCP tests conducted at 20 and 40 km/h and 51 IIHS FCP research tests conducted at 50, 60, and 70 km/h with AEB responses were analyzed. Forward collision warning (FCW) and AEB time-to-collision (TTC), mean deceleration, maximum deceleration, and maximum jerk from the beginning of automatic braking to the end of braking or impact were computed for each test. Each dependent measure was modeled with test speed (20 km/h, 40 km/h), IIHS FCP test rating (superior, basic/advanced), and the interaction between test speed and rating. The models were used to estimate each dependent measure at 50, 60, and 70 km/h, and model predictions were compared with the observed performance of six vehicles in IIHS research test data. Vehicles with superior-rated systems warned and began braking earlier, had a greater average rate of deceleration, reached a higher peak deceleration, and had greater jerk than vehicles with basic/advanced-rated systems, on average. The interaction between test speed and vehicle rating was significant in each linear mixed-effects model, indicating that these differences changed with test speed. FCW and AEB in superior-rated vehicles occurred 0.05 and 0.10 s earlier, respectively, per 10-km/h increase in test speed compared with basic/advanced-rated vehicles. Mean deceleration and maximum deceleration for FCP systems in superior-rated vehicles increased 0.65 m/s2 and 0.60 m/s2 more, respectively, per 10-km/h increase in test speed than for systems in basic/advanced-rated vehicles. Maximum jerk increased 2.78 m/s3 per 10-km/h increase in test speed for basic/advanced-rated vehicles but decreased 0.25 m/s3 for systems in superior-rated vehicles. The root mean square error between the observed performance and estimated values at 50, 60, and 70 km/h indicated that the linear mixed-effects model had reasonable prediction accuracy for every measure except jerk at these out-of-sample data points. The findings from this study provide insight into the characteristics that make FCP effective for preventing crashes. Based on performance in the IIHS FCP test, vehicles with superior-rated FCP systems had earlier TTC thresholds and braked with greater deceleration that increased with speed compared with basic/advanced-rated systems. The linear mixed-effects models that were developed can guide assumptions about AEB response characteristics for superior-rated FCP systems in future simulation studies.

How can front crash prevention systems address more police-reported crashes in the United States?

Government and consumer-information organizations can motivate automakers to address additional crash types through front crash prevention (FCP) testing programs. This study examined the current state of crashes potentially relevant to current and future FCP systems to provide a roadmap for the next crash types that vehicle testing programs in the United States should evaluate. Crash records from 2016 to 2020 were extracted from the Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS) and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Crashes were restricted to ones involving no more than two vehicles where the striking or path-intruding vehicle was a passenger vehicle and a vehicle defect was not coded. Percentages of police-reported crashes, nonfatal-injury crashes, and fatal crashes were computed for different crash types and circumstances. Rear-end and pedestrian crashes evaluated in existing FCP testing programs accounted for 27% of all police-reported crashes, 19% of nonfatal-injury crashes, and 18% of fatal crashes. The remaining crash types relevant to FCP accounted for 25% of police-reported crashes, 31% of nonfatal-injury crashes, and 23% of fatal crashes. A turning passenger vehicle crossing the path of an oncoming vehicle accounted for the largest proportion of the remaining police-reported (8%) and nonfatal-injury crashes (13%). Head-on crashes accounted for the largest proportion of remaining fatal crashes (9%). Most FCP-relevant police-reported crashes occurred on roads with a posted speed limit between 30 and 50 mph. Medium/heavy trucks were the crash partner in a disproportionate number of fatal head-on and rear-end crashes and motorcycles in a disproportionate number of fatal rear-end and turning crossing-path crashes. Fatal bicyclist and pedestrian crashes were overrepresented at night. The findings from this study indicate that testing organizations should evaluate FCP performance at higher speeds; with non-passenger vehicles and vulnerable road users; during the night; and in more complex head-on and turning crash scenarios to reduce crashes of all severities. Some of these conditions are currently assessed by other testing organizations and can be readily adopted by U.S. programs or possibly addressed with new approaches like virtual testing.

The role of transient dynamics in biological pest control: insights from a host-parasitoid community.

1. Identifying natural enemies that can maintain pests at low abundances is a priority in biological control. Here, we show that experiments combined with models generate new insights into identifying effective control agents prior to their release in the field. Using a host-parasitoid community (the harlequin bug and its egg parasitoids) as a model system, we report three key findings. 2. The interplay between the host's self-limitation and the parasitoids' saturating functional response causes the long-term (steady-state) outcomes for pest suppression to differ from those of short-term (transient) dynamics. When the bug's self-limitation is moderately strong, the parasitoid with the higher attack rate and conversion efficiency (Ooencyrtus) achieves greater host suppression in the long term, but its longer handling time causes long periods of transient dynamics during which the bug can reach high abundances; when the bug's self-limitation is weak, host fluctuations amplify over time and Ooencyrtus fails at host suppression altogether. In contrast, the parasitoid with the lower attack rate and conversion efficiency but the shorter handling time (Trissolcus) induces only weak transient fluctuations of short duration and can maintain the host at low abundances regardless of the strength of the bug's self-limitation. 3. Release of multiple enemy species can compromise host suppression if an enemy that induces stronger transient fluctuations excludes one that induces weaker fluctuations. For instance, Ooencyrtus excludes Trissolcus despite having a longer handling time because of its higher conversion efficiency. The model correctly predicts the time to exclusion observed in experiments, suggesting that it captures the key biological features of the host-parasitoid interaction. 4. Intraspecific interference reduces long-term pest suppression but improves short-term pest control by reducing the magnitude and duration of transient fluctuations. 5. These results highlight the importance of transient dynamics in pest suppression. Pests are unlikely to be strongly self-limited because they attack crop monocultures. Hence, pest fluctuations are likely to dominate short-term dynamics even when the long-term outcome is a stable equilibrium. The tendency to induce strong transient fluctuations (e.g. through a long handling time) is therefore a crucial consideration when identifying effective pest control agents.

Improving the safety relevance of automatic emergency braking testing programs: An examination of common characteristics of police-reported rear-end crashes in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems help prevent rear-end crashes where a vehicle strikes the rear of another. However, the benefits may be limited if the systems are stymied by common crash circumstances or only target scenarios evaluated in vehicle testing programs. This study examined the prevalence of characteristics that may limit AEB system performance in police-reported rear-end crashes and the relevance of scenarios used to evaluate these systems. METHODS: Police-reported rear-end crashes (n = 6,731,215, Crash Report Sampling System) and fatal rear-end crashes (n = 4,285, Fatality Analysis Reporting System) with a fatality in the striking or struck vehicle during 2016-2019 were analyzed. Percentages of police-reported rear-end crashes, nonfatal-injury rear-end crashes, and fatal rear-end crashes were computed to identify common crash characteristics. Roadway speed limit was used as a proxy for striking vehicle speed. RESULTS: A straight-moving vehicle striking a stopped or decelerating vehicle on roads with a speed limit of 40 km/h (25 mph) or less only accounted for 3% of all rear-end crashes, 3% of nonfatal-injury rear-end crashes, and 1% of fatal rear-end crashes. In contrast, 36% of all rear-end crashes, 36% of nonfatal-injury rear-end crashes, and 11% of fatal rear-end crashes involved a straight-moving vehicle striking a stopped or decelerating vehicle on roads with a speed limit between 56 and 72 km/h (35 and 45 mph). A medium or heavy truck was the struck vehicle in 32% of fatal rear-end crashes, and a motorcycle was the struck vehicle in 11% of fatal rear-end crashes. At least one of the following characteristics that may degrade AEB system performance was present in 14% of the rear-end crashes studied: striking vehicle turning; a struck vehicle turning or changing lanes; a struck vehicle that is not a passenger vehicle; wintery weather; wet or icy roads; or a speed limit of 113 km/h (70 mph) or higher. CONCLUSION: Circumstances shown to diminish AEB effectiveness accounted for 14% of rear-end crashes, and scenarios currently used to evaluate AEB systems accounted for 3%. Evaluating AEB systems at speeds up to 72 km/h (45 mph) and incorporating a motorcycle or medium/heavy truck target will make AEB evaluations more representative of police-reported rear-end crashes.

Understanding potentially avoidable hospitalisations in a rural Australian setting from the perspectives of patients and health professionals: a qualitative study and logic model.

Background: Potentially avoidable hospitalisations (PAHs) are proxy measures of effective primary care at a population level. PAHs are higher in rural and disadvantaged areas. This qualitative study sought a deeper understanding of PAHs for chronic health conditions in a rural context from the perspectives of patients and health professionals, and aimed to develop a logic model for rural health services to identify intervention targets. Methods: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive cardiac failure or type 2 diabetes, admitted to a rural hospital in Australia and local health professionals were invited to participate in interviews in late 2019. Semistructured interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Themes were mapped against a programme logic model developed in a similar study. Results: patients and 16 health professionals participated. The logic model encompassed patient level (knowledge, skills, health status), provider level (workforce availability, attributes) and system level (clinical pathways) contexts. These contexts influenced key mechanisms of relationships, continuity of care and capacity to offer services. Outcomes included responsive and timely access to care, improved clinical outcomes and resource use. Themes that did not readily map to the logic model included socioeconomic disadvantage and healthcare costs, which influenced affordability and equity of access. Conclusion: Patients' complex health and social circumstance, health service access and unclear care pathways were strong themes associated with PAH in this rural context. Patient, provider and system contexts influencing key mechanisms and outcomes need to be understood when designing solutions to address PAHs in rural settings. Ideally, interventions should address the cost of healthcare alongside interventions to enhance relationships, continuity of care and capacity to offer services.

The effects of persistent audible seat belt reminders and a speed-limiting interlock on the seat belt use of drivers who do not always use a seat belt.

INTRODUCTION: Vehicle technologies that increase seat belt use can save thousands of lives each year. Kidd, Singer, Huey, and Kerfoot (2018) found that a gearshift interlock was more effective for increasing seat belt use than an intermittent audible reminder, but interlocks may not be more effective than persistent audible reminders lasting at least 90 seconds. METHOD: Forty-nine part-time belt users with a recent seat belt citation who self-reported not always using a seat belt drove two vehicles for 1 week each. Thirty-three drove a Chevrolet with an intermittent audible reminder followed by either a BMW with a persistent 90-second audible reminder (n = 17) or a Subaru with an incessant audible reminder (n = 16). The other 16 participants experienced the BMW persistent reminder followed by an interlock that limited speed to 15 mph during unbelted driving. These data were combined with data from 32 part-time belt users in Kidd et al. (2018) who experienced the intermittent reminder for 2 weeks or the intermittent reminder for 1 week and a gearshift interlock the next. RESULTS: Relative to the intermittent reminder, seat belt use was significantly increased an estimated 30% by the BMW persistent reminder, 34% by the Subaru incessant reminder, and 33% by the speed-limiting interlock. Belt use was increased an estimated 16% by the gearshift interlock, but this change was not significant. More participants circumvented the speed-limiting interlock to drive unbelted than the audible reminders. Responses to a poststudy survey indicated that interlocks were less acceptable than reminders. CONCLUSIONS: Audible reminders lasting at least 90 seconds and a speed-limiting interlock were more effective for increasing seat belt use than an intermittent audible reminder, but reminders were found more acceptable. Practical applications: Strengthening existing U.S. safety standards to require audible reminders lasting at least 90 seconds for front-row occupants could save up to 1,489 lives annually.

Changes in the sources of distracted driving among Northern Virginia drivers in 2014 and 2018: A comparison of results from two roadside observation surveys.

INTRODUCTION: An increase in distracted driving has been suggested as a factor contributing to the 15% increase in fatal crashes from 2014 to 2016, but objective information about the prevalence of distracted driving in recent years is incomplete or lacking. The current study replicated a 2014 observation study conducted in Northern Virginia to examine whether the prevalence of distracted driving overall and of individual secondary behaviors has changed. METHOD: Drivers of moving or stopped vehicles were observed at 12 locations across 4 Northern Virginia communities during the daytime. The presence of 12 different secondary behaviors was recorded. RESULTS: In 2018, about 23% of drivers were engaged in at least one secondary behavior, which was not significantly different from 2014. Overall phone use was not significantly different between 2014 and 2018. However, the likelihood of holding a cellphone significantly decreased while the likelihood of manipulating a cellphone significantly increased in 2018 relative to 2014. About 14% of drivers were engaged in noncellphone secondary behaviors in 2014 and 2018, which exceeded the proportion using phones in both years. CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence that distracted driving has become more common in recent years, but the prevalence of some secondary behaviors has changed. Most concerning was the 57% increase in the likelihood of cellphone manipulation in 2018 relative to 2014, a behavior that has been consistently linked to increased crash risk; however, because the behavior is uncommon overall, the increased prevalence would be expected to only slightly increase crash rates. Practical applications: Although cellphone use was frequently observed in 2014 and 2018, collectively, other noncellphone secondary behaviors were more prevalent. Practitioners and policymakers should continue targeting cellphone use, but also must target other common secondary behaviors to fully address distracted driving.

The effect of a gearshift interlock on seat belt use by drivers who do not always use a belt and its acceptance among those who do.

INTRODUCTION: Seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury in a crash, yet in 2015, nearly 10,000 people killed in passenger vehicles were unrestrained. Enhanced seat belt reminders increase belt use, but a gearshift interlock that prevents the vehicle from being placed into gear unless the seat belt is used may prove more effective. METHOD: Thirty-two people with a recent seat belt citation and who admitted to not always using a seat belt as a driver were recruited as part-time belt users and asked to evaluate two new vehicles. Sixteen drove two vehicles with an enhanced reminder for one week each, and 16 drove a vehicle with an enhanced reminder for one week and a vehicle with a gearshift interlock the following week. Sixteen full-time belt users who reported always using a seat belt drove a vehicle with a gearshift interlock for one week to evaluate acceptance. RESULTS: Relative to the enhanced reminder, the gearshift interlock significantly increased the likelihood that a part-time belt user used a belt during travel time in a trip by 21%, and increased the rate of belt use by 16%; this effect approached significance. Although every full-time belt user experienced the gearshift interlock, their acceptance of the technology reported in a post-study survey was fairly positive and not significantly different from part-time belt users. Six part-time belt users circumvented the gearshift interlock by sitting on a seat belt, waiting for the system to deactivate, or unbuckling during travel. CONCLUSION: The gearshift interlock increased the likelihood that part-time belt users buckled up and the rate of belt use during travel relative to the enhanced reminder but could be more effective if it prevented circumvention. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: An estimated 718-942 lives could be saved annually if the belt use of unbuckled drivers and front passengers increased 16-21%.

Self-Directed Interactive Video-Based Instruction Versus Instructor-Led Teaching for Myanmar House Surgeons: A Randomized, Noninferiority Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare self-directed interactive video-based instruction (IVBI) with instructor-led teaching in the acquisition of basic surgical skills by House Surgeons at University of Medicine 1, Yangon. DESIGN: A prospective, 1:1 randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were randomized into 2 teaching arms: (1) self-directed IVBI or (2) instructor-led teaching. Self-directed IVBI participants were provided with a portable DVD player that could play, fast forward, rewind, and skip through skills modules. Participants in the instructor-led teaching group were taught in small groups by standardized instructors. Pretesting and posttesting of 1-handed knot tie, 2-handed knot tie, vertical mattress suture, and instrument tie was performed using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS). Students randomized to self-directed IVBI completed an exit survey to assess satisfaction. Demographic data were collected of all participants. SETTING: University of Medicine 1, Yangon, Myanmar. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty participants were randomly selected from 78 eligible House Surgeons who were enrolled in their basic surgery rotation. RESULTS: Demographic characteristics and baseline skills were comparable in participants randomized to IVBI and instructor-led teaching. Mean OSATS score increased from pretest to posttest in both groups (p < 0.001). The mean posttest OSATS score of the IVBI group was 0.72 points below that of the instructor-led teaching group (90% CI: -3.8 to 5.2), with the 90% CI falling below the a priori noninferiority margin, satisfying criteria for noninferiority. More than 90% of students marked either "agree" or "strongly agree" to the following statements on the exit survey: further expansion of IVBI into other skills modules and integration of IVBI into training curriculum. CONCLUSION: IVBI is noninferior to instructor-led teaching of surgical skills based on OSATS scores. House Surgeons highly rated self-directed IVBI. Self-directed IVBI has the potential to significantly reduce the personnel required for skills teaching and may serve as a long-term learning adjunct in low-resource settings.

Panero et al. (2016): Failure to replicate methods caused the failure to replicate results.

Contrary to Kidd and Castano (2013), Panero et al. (2016) fail to find that reading literary fiction improves performance on an advanced test of theory of mind (ToM), the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. However, this commentary shows that the findings presented in Panero et al. (2016) are not reliable due to two striking threats to the internal validity of their studies that were not clearly disclosed or discussed in the manuscript or supplementary materials. First, no effective strategy was implemented to ensure that participants read their assigned texts, and examination of the data revealed many participants whose reading times indicate that they were not exposed to the manipulation. Second, further examination shows that two of the largest studies contributing to Panero et al. (2016) are not valid experiments due to a clear failure of random assignment to conditions. These threats to experimental internal validity make the conclusions presented in Panero et al. (2016) untenable. After removing cases in which participants were not exposed to the manipulation and the data from the two studies without random assignment, an analysis reveals that reading literary fiction improves ToM compared to reading popular genre fiction. This result is consistent with prior studies and indicates that a failure to carefully replicate the methods of Kidd and Castano (2013) led to the failure to replicate Kidd and Castano's (2013) results. (PsycINFO Database Record

Rage against the machine? Google's self-driving cars versus human drivers.

INTRODUCTION: Automated driving represents both challenges and opportunities in highway safety. Google has been developing self-driving cars and testing them under employee supervision on public roads since 2009. These vehicles have been involved in several crashes, and it is of interest how this testing program compares to human drivers in terms of safety. METHODS: Google car crashes were coded by type and severity based on narratives released by Google. Crash rates per million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) were computed for crashes deemed severe enough to be reportable to police. These were compared with police-reported crash rates for human drivers. Crash types also were compared. RESULTS: Google cars had a much lower rate of police-reportable crashes per million VMT than human drivers in Mountain View, Calif., during 2009-2015 (2.19 vs 6.06), but the difference was not statistically significant. The most common type of collision involving Google cars was when they got rear-ended by another (human-driven) vehicle. Google cars shared responsibility for only one crash. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest Google self-driving cars, while a test program, are safer than conventional human-driven passenger vehicles; however, currently there is insufficient information to fully examine the extent to which disengagements affected these results. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Results suggest that highly-automated vehicles can perform more safely than human drivers in certain conditions, but will continue to be involved in crashes with conventionally-driven vehicles.

Distracting behaviors among teenagers and young, middle-aged, and older adult drivers when driving without and with warnings from an integrated vehicle safety system.

INTRODUCTION: Negative reinforcement from crash warnings may reduce the likelihood that drivers engage in distracted driving. Alternatively, drivers may compensate for the perceived safety benefit of crash warnings by engaging in distractions more frequently, especially at higher speeds. The purpose of this study was to examine whether warning feedback from an integrated vehicle-based safety system affected the likelihood that various secondary behaviors were present among drivers ages 16-17, 20-30, 40-50, and 60-70. METHOD: Participants drove an instrumented sedan with various collision warning systems for an extended period. Ten 5-second video clips were randomly sampled from driving periods at speeds above 25mph and below 5mph each week for each driver and coded for the presence of 11 secondary behaviors. RESULTS: At least one secondary behavior was present in 46% of video clips; conversing with a passenger (17%), personal grooming (9%), and cellphone conversation (6%) were the most common. The likelihood that at least one secondary behavior was present was not significantly different during periods when drivers received warnings relative to periods without warnings. At least one secondary behavior was 21% more likely to be present at speeds below 5mph relative to speeds above 25mph; however, the effect of vehicle speed was not significantly affected by warning presence. Separate models for each of the five most common secondary behaviors also indicated that warnings had no significant effect on the likelihood that each behavior was present. CONCLUSIONS: Collision warnings were not associated with significant increases or decreases in the overall likelihood that teen and adult drivers engaged in secondary behaviors or the likelihood of the behaviors at speeds above 25mph or below 5mph. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: There was no evidence that forward collision warning and other technologies like those in this study will increase or decrease distracted driving.