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INTRODUCTION: Speed is a primary contributing factor in teenage driver crashes. Yet, there are significant methodological challenges in measuring real-world speeding behavior. METHOD: This case study approach analyzed naturalistic driving data for six teenage drivers in a longitudinal study that spanned the learner and early independent driving stages of licensure in Maryland, United States. Trip duration, travel speed and length were recorded using global position system (GPS) data. These were merged with maps of the Maryland road system, which included posted speed limit (PSL) to determine speeding events in each recorded trip. Speeding was defined as driving at the speed of 10 mph higher than the posted speed limit and lasting longer than 6 s. Using these data, two different speeding measures were developed: (1) Trips with Speeding Episodes, and (2) Verified Speeding Time. Conclusions & Practical Applications: Across both measures, speeding behavior during independent licensure was greater than during the learner period. These measures improved on previous methodologies by using PSL information and eliminating the need for mapping software. This approach can be scaled for use in larger samples and has the potential to advance understanding about the trajectory of speeding behaviors among novice teenage drivers.
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Conducción de Automóvil , Adolescente , Humanos , Estados Unidos , Accidentes de Tránsito/prevención & control , Estudios Longitudinales , Asunción de Riesgos , ViajeRESUMEN
Introduction: Supervised practice during the learner stage of graduated driver licensing is required in all U.S. states and some international jurisdictions. Several U.S. states require driving hours to be recorded in a paper logbook, making it susceptible to errors or falsification. A smartphone app that operates as an electronic logbook could serve as an alternative. The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of the logbook format (i.e., paper versus electronic) on self-reported driving behavior. Design: Parentâteen dyads were enrolled and assigned to electronic (n=147) and paper (n=131) logbook groups using a block design. Setting/Participants: This study was conducted in Maryland. Data were collected for 6 continuous months while teenagers held a learner permit between January 2020 and December 2021. Intervention: Electronic logbook to measure practice driving. Outcome measure: Self-reported driving between the electronic and paper logbook groups. For those using electronic logbooks, an agreement between self-reported trips and electronic logbook trips and perceptions of using an electronic logbook to measure driving. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in any measures of self-reported practice driving by logbook type (electronic versus paper). Agreement between self-reported and electronic logbookârecorded trips ranged between 68.6% and 79.0% (allowing a difference of 2 trips per week). User satisfaction with the electronic logbook was high, with 93.0% of teenagers and 91.9% of parents stating that they would recommend the app to a friend. Conclusions: An electronic logbook is a viable approach to measuring practice driving. Eventually, it could become part of a system where practice requirements are verified, allowing states to move toward performance-based graduated driver licensing.
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Over 10,000 people a day turn 65 in the United States. For many older adults, driving represents an essential component of independence and is one of the most important factors in overall mobility. Recent survey studies in older adults suggest that up to 60% of older adult drivers with mild cognitive impairment, and up to 30% with dementia, continue to drive. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive and detailed resource on the topics of cognition and driving for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers working on efforts related to older adult drivers. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Publications on PubMed and Medline and discussions with experts working in geriatrics, technology, driving policy, psychology, and diverse aspects of driving performance were utilized to inform the current review. RESULTS: Research indicates that there is a complex and inverse correlation between multiple cognitive measures, driving performance, and risky driving behaviors. The fragmented nature of available peer-reviewed literature, and a reliance on correlative data, do not currently allow for the identification of the temporal and reciprocal nature of the interplay between cognition and driving endpoints. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: There are currently no widely accepted definitions, conceptual models, or uniform set of analyses for conducting geriatric research that is focused on driving. Establishing conventions for conducting research that harmonizes the fields of geriatrics, cognition, and driving research is critical for the development of the evidence base that will inform clinical practice and road safety policy.
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Background: While advanced driver assistance technologies have the potential to increase safety, there is concern that driver inattention resulting from overreliance on these features may result in crashes. Driver monitoring technologies to assess a driver's state may be one solution. The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend the research on physiological responses to common driving hazards and examine how these may differ based on driving experience. Methods: Learner and Licensed drivers viewed a Driving Hazard Perception Task while electrodermal activity (EDA) was measured. The task presented 30 Event (hazard develops) and 30 Non-Event (routine driving) videos. A skin conductance response (SCR) score was calculated for each participant based on the percentage of videos that elicited an SCR. Results: Analysis of the SCR score during Event videos revealed a medium effect (d = 0.61) of group differences, whereby Licensed drivers were more likely to have an SCR than Learner drivers. Interaction effects revealed Licensed drivers were more likely to have an SCR earlier in the Event videos compared to the end, and the Learner drivers were more likely to have an SCR earlier in the Non-Event videos compared to the end. Conclusion: Our results support the viability of using SCR during driving videos as a marker of hazard anticipation differing based on experience. The interaction effects may illustrate situational awareness in licensed drivers and deficiencies in sustained vigilance among learner drivers. The findings demand further examination if physiological measures are to be validated as a tool to inform driver potential performance in an increasingly automated driving environment.
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Steeper rates of temporal discounting-the degree to which smaller-sooner (SS) rewards are preferred over larger-later (LL) ones-have been associated with impulsive and ill-advised behaviors in adolescence. Yet, the underlying neural systems remain poorly understood. Here we used a well-established temporal discounting paradigm and functional MRI (fMRI) to examine engagement of the striatum-including the caudate, putamen, and ventral striatum (VS)-in early adolescence (13-15 years; N = 27). Analyses provided evidence of enhanced activity in the caudate and VS during impulsive choice. Exploratory analyses revealed that trait impulsivity was associated with heightened putamen activity during impulsive choices. A more nuanced pattern was evident in the cortex, with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex mirroring the putamen and posterior parietal cortex showing the reverse association. Taken together, these observations provide an important first glimpse at the distributed neural systems underlying economic choice and trait-like individual differences in impulsivity in the early years of adolescence, setting the stage for prospective-longitudinal and intervention research.
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Cuerpo Estriado/fisiología , Descuento por Demora , Adolescente , Femenino , Humanos , Conducta Impulsiva , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Masculino , Estudios Prospectivos , RecompensaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Effective interventions are needed to improve brain function in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus is a hub of the default mode network (DMN) and is preferentially vulnerable to disruption of functional connectivity in MCI and AD. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether 12 weeks of aerobic exercise could enhance functional connectivity of the PCC/precuneus in MCI and healthy elders. METHODS: Sixteen MCI and 16 healthy elders (age rangeâ=â60-88) engaged in a supervised 12-week walking exercise intervention. Functional MRI was acquired at rest; the PCC/precuneus was used as a seed for correlated brain activity maps. RESULTS: A linear mixed effects model revealed a significant interaction in the right parietal lobe: the MCI group showed increased connectivity while the healthy elders showed decreased connectivity. In addition, both groups showed increased connectivity with the left postcentral gyrus. Comparing pre to post intervention changes within each group, the MCI group showed increased connectivity in 10 regions spanning frontal, parietal, temporal and insular lobes, and the cerebellum. Healthy elders did not demonstrate any significant connectivity changes. CONCLUSION: The observed results show increased functional connectivity of the PCC/precuneus in individuals with MCI after 12 weeks of moderate intensity walking exercise training. The protective effects of exercise training on cognition may be realized through the enhancement of neural recruitment mechanisms, which may possibly increase cognitive reserve. Whether these effects of exercise training may delay further cognitive decline in patients diagnosed with MCI remains to be demonstrated.