The use of risk homeostasis theory to reduce smartphone use during low-speed driving.

Driving while distracted by smartphones is an unsafe behavior and constitutes a serious worldwide road safety issue. In line with the risk homeostasis theory, during high-speed driving, drivers perceive smartphone usage as an unwarranted risk and in most cases refrain from doing so. During low-speed driving, however, drivers often use their smartphones, as they do not perceive this as inherently unsafe, even though it is. The goal of this study was to examine an intervention, based on the risk homeostasis theory, aimed at decreasing the use of smartphones while driving at low speeds. Thirty-seven young drivers participated in the research group that aimed to alter drivers' risk perceptions, decision making, and behavior. The study also included a control group of 33 young drivers. All of the participants' smartphone usage was monitored using a dedicated application that measured both the number of times drivers touched their smartphone screens while driving and the driving speed each time the screen was touched. The results indicate that drivers in the research group decreased their smartphone usage while driving, unlike the control group drivers who did not alter their behavior. In conclusion, a risk homeostasis-based intervention can decrease dangerous and unsafe driving behavior, even when such behavior is not perceived as significantly dangerous. Furthermore, additional types of risky and unsafe driving behaviors may be decreased using this type of intervention.

Exploring the impact of "soft blocking" on smartphone usage of young drivers.

Smartphone usage while driving, and particularly texting, are well recognized as a major road safety concern. This paper presents an attempt to evaluate the effect of countermeasures aimed at mitigating this usage. These countermeasures, which are automatically activated, may be considered "soft blockers": silencing and hiding notifications, as well as sending an automatic reply to the person trying to contact the driver. A naturalistic study was conducted with 167 young Israeli drivers, who installed a research-oriented smartphone app, which continuously monitored their smartphones usage while driving and, in addition, activated "soft blocking" in the study's intervention stage. The evaluation is based on measures which capture the number of times drivers "touch" their smartphone screens, and on the vehicle's speed when these screen-touches occur. The results, based on 6633 hours of driving logged on 23,019 trips, indicate that a reduction of approximately 20% was obtained in the average number of screen-touches during the intervention stage of the study; that is, in the experimental groups but also in the control group, which was merely monitored. In addition, when young drivers touched the screen, the vehicle was more likely not in motion. The current paper highlights the potential of "soft blockers", as well as the awareness of being monitored, for mitigating smartphone usage while driving.

The challenge of safe driving among elderly drivers.

The challenge of ageing has two key aspects with regard to driving: mobility and safety. It is necessary for elderly adults to preserve independent mobility and activity; however, physical frailty and cognitive limitations have negative effects on their safety. Therefore, the issue of driving, and more specifically, the fostering of safe driving of old people, is crucial, especially due the increasing number of elderly people holding a driving license. The purpose of this Letter is to point out the complexity of elderly driving and to suggest countermeasures by acknowledging that obtaining the correct balance between safety and mobility of older drivers is a complicated and sensitive task. To address this issue, the authors suggest accommodating their driving behaviour and patterns, in light of the deteriorating driving skills, by integrating social and policy procedures and use of emerging technologies. Policy steps to support elderly drivers and their loved ones by gradually controlling driving of elderly population when this becomes risky to them may serve as a desired countermeasure according to a proved tool such as technology. Utilisation of advanced technologies can help to monitor travel and driver behaviour and ability to make the necessary alterations, based on elderly driving skills.

Do we really need to use our smartphones while driving?

Smartphone usage while driving, a prominent type of driver distraction, has become a major concern in the area of road safety. Answers to an internet survey by 757 Israeli drivers who own smartphones were analyzed with focus on two main purposes: (1) to gain insights regarding patterns of smartphone usage while driving and its motivation, (2) to probe drivers' views on the perceived risk and the need to use smartphones while driving, as well as their willingness to use blocking apps that limit such usages. Phone calls and texting were found to be the most common usages while driving, hence, both were chosen to be further analyzed. 73% (N=551) of the respondents make phone calls while driving and almost half of them may be considered frequent callers as they admit to do it intensively while driving. As for texting, 35% of the respondents (N=256) text while driving and a quarter of them do so frequently. While phone calls were perceived to compromise safety by 34% of the users, texting was perceived to compromise safety by 84% of the users. However, we found that drivers place limitations on themselves as more than 70% avoid texting when they think they need to devote attention to driving. A logistic regression model indicates that perceived need and perceived safety are significant factors associated with being a frequent smartphone phone calls user, but only perceived need significantly predicts being a frequent texting user. Approximately half of all the respondents are willing to try an app which blocks smartphone usage while driving. The willingness to use such technology was found to be related primarily to perceived need. Less significant factors are work-related usage and perceived safety. Frequency of usage was not found to affect this willingness, indicating that it should not be a factor in designing and implementing interventions to limit smartphone usage while driving.