Hazard anticipation of young novice drivers - SWOV

"Driver distraction is a diversion of attention away from activities critical for
safe driving toward a competing activity."
Note that this definition of driver distraction excludes drowsy driving or
driving without awareness when the workload is low and the driving task is
monotonous (see Section 2.5.2). According to the definition distraction is
about diverted attention and not about diminished attention (e.g. because of
fatigue or highway hypnoses). Note also that the definition includes poorly
timed driving activities such turning on the wipers when immediate action is
required to avert a crash. The competing activities in the definition can refer
to interactions with equipment (both driving related and not driving related)
in the vehicle, passengers, food, thoughts (of the driver her or himself) while
the traffic situation is safety critical or developing into a safety critical
situation. Being captured by objects, persons and events outside the vehicle
not related to the safety of the traffic situation is also a 'competing activity'.
One of the most remarkable results of the '100-Car Naturalistic driving
study' (Dingus et al., 2006 see paragraph 2.5.2 for a description of this study)
was that in nearly 80% of the crashes and 65% of the near-crashes distraction
was a contributing cause. However, distraction in this study also included
drowsy driving and 'non-specific eye glance away from the forward
roadway'. These non-specific eye glances could be the result of internal
distraction (e.g. when the driver is absorbed in her or his own thoughts), but
could also be the effect of highway hypnoses. The first is included in the
definition of distraction, but the latter not. When drowsy driving and nonspecific
eye glances are excluded, still in nearly 68% of the crashes and 35%
of the near-crashes distraction was a contributing factor. Some types of
distraction are more risky than others. Klauer et al. (2006) made a distinction
between moderate secondary tasks and complex secondary tasks. Moderate
secondary tasks were: talking and listing to a hand-held cell phone,
inserting/retrieving a CD or cassette, reaching for a not moving object,
combing or fixing hair, other personal hygiene (but not applying make-up),
eating and looking at external objects. Complex secondary tasks were:
dialling a number on a hand-held cell phone, locating/reaching/answering a
hand-held device, operating a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smart
phone, reading, reaching for a moving object, insect in vehicle and applying
make-up. On the basis of the data of the 100-Car Naturalistic driving study,
Klauer et al. (2006) could calculate the likelihood of an at-fault crash or near
crash when engaged in moderate secondary tasks or complex secondary
tasks compared to non-distracted driving. The Odds Ratio (OR) for moderate
secondary tasks was 2.10, 95% CI [1.62. 2.72]. The OR for complex secondary
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