Overestimation of self-reported driving exposure: Results from the SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study

Objectives: The accuracy of self-reported driving exposure has questioned the validity of using self-reported mileage to inform research questions. Studies examining the accuracy of self-reported driving exposure compared to objective measures find low validity, with drivers overestimating and underestimating driving distance. The aims of the current study were to (1) examine the discrepancy between self-reported annual mileage and driving exposure the following year and (2) investigate whether these differences depended on age and annual mileage.

Methods: Two estimates of drivers’ self-reported annual mileage collected during vehicle installation (obtained via prestudy questionnaires) and approximated annual mileage driven (based upon Global Positioning System data) were acquired from 3,323 participants who participated in the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2) Naturalistic Driving Study.

Results: A Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that there was a significant difference between self-reported and annual driving exposure during participation in SHRP 2, with the majority of self-reported responses overestimating annual mileage the following year, irrespective of whether an ordinal or ratio variable was examined. Over 15% of participants provided self-reported responses with over 100% deviation, which were exclusive to participants underestimating annual mileage. Further, deviations in reporting differed between participants who had low, medium, and high exposure, as well as between participants in different age groups.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that although self-reported annual mileage is heavily relied on for research, such estimates of driving distance may be an overestimate of current or future mileage and can influence the validity of prior research that has utilized estimates of driving exposure.     

Reliability and validity of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory in Chinese drivers

Objective: The Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) has been widely used in assessing the associations between driving styles and traffic violations and accidents in different cultural contexts. Due to the lack of a valid instrument to assess driving style, studies concerning driving style and its influence factors are limited in China. Thus, this study aimed to adapt and validate a Chinese version of the MDSI.

Methods: Seven hundred and sixty drivers aged from 19 to 60 years old were asked to complete the MDSI and a personality scale (trait anger, sensation seeking, altruism, and normlessness). Exploratory factory analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to obtain the factorial structure of the MDSI. The external validity of the MDSI was then evaluated by examining the associations between driving styles and personality traits, demographic variables, and traffic violations and crashes.

Results: EFA revealed a 6-factor structure of the MDSI (i.e., risky, anxious, angry, distress reduction, careful, and dissociative driving styles). CFA confirmed that the model fit of the MDSI was acceptable. The MDSI factors were moderately or weakly correlated with trait anger, sensation seeking, altruism, and normlessness. Significant gender and age differences in driving styles were found. Moreover, drivers who had traffic violations or crashes in the past year scored higher on risky and angry driving styles and lower on careful driving style than those who had not have traffic violations or crashes.

Conclusions: The Chinese version of the MDSI proved to be a reliable, valid, and highly useful instrument. It could be used to assess Chinese drivers who are at risk due to their maladaptive driving styles.     

城市光污染对驾驶安全性影响评价研究

在分析城市光污染对驾驶安全性影响评价特点的基础上,结合相关评价指标体系,引入李克特量表法构建安全性评价量表,并基于物元理论对城市光污染对驾驶安全性影响进行评价。选择了成都市4条道路进行实例分析,得出了较为准确的城市光污染对驾驶安全性影响等级评价结果。     

The theory of planned behavior as mediator of the effect of parental supervision: a study of intentions to violate driving rules in a representative sample of adolescents

INTRODUCTION: The study reported here was designed to test the ability of the theory of planned behavior to mediate the effect of parental supervision on adolescents' intentions to violate driving rules. METHOD: A representative sample of 1,654 adolescents completed questionnaires during individual and anonymous interviews carried out at their schools. RESULTS: Results showed that age, gender, prior risky driving-behavior, and parental supervision significantly predict intentions to violate driving rules. Attitude and the subjective norm partially mediate the effect of age, prior behavior, and parental supervision. Perceived behavioral control does not predict intention and is not predicted by other variables. IMPACT: The results suggest that social cognitive variables partially mediate the effect of parenting practices such as supervision.     

Community structure and elevational diversity patterns of soil Acidobacteria

Acidobacteria is one of the most dominant and abundant phyla in soil,and was believed to have a wide range of metabolic and genetic functions. Relatively little is known about its community structure and elevational diversity patterns. We selected four elevation gradients from 1000 to 2800 m with typical vegetation types of the northern slope of Shennongjia Mountain in central China. The vegetation types were evergreen broadleaved forest,deciduous broadleaved forest,coniferous forest and sub-alpine shrubs. We analyzed the soil acidobacterial community composition,elevational patterns and the relationship between Acidobacteria subdivisions and soil enzyme activities by using the 16 S rRNA meta-sequencing technique and multivariate statistical analysis. The result found that 19 known subdivisions as well as an unclassified phylotype were presented in these forest sites,and Subdivision 6 has the highest number of detectable operational taxonomic units(OTUs). A significant single peak distribution pattern(P 0.05) between the OTU number and the elevation was observed. The Jaccard and Bray–Curtis index analysis showed that the soil Acidobacteria compositional similarity significantly decreased(P 0.01) with the increase in elevation distance. Mantel test analysis showed the most of the soil Acidobacteria subdivisions had the significant relationship(P 0.01) with different soil enzymes. Therefore,soil Acidobacteria may be involved in different ecosystem functions in global elemental cycles. Partial Mantel tests and CCA analysis showed that soil pH,soil temperature and plant diversity may be the key factors in shaping the soil Acidobacterial community structure.     

Characteristics of ride share services for older adults in the United States

Introduction: Safe and accessible transportation options are important for older adults’ health, safety, mobility, and independence. Ride share services may promote older adult health and well-being. This is the first study that describes ride share services available to older adults (65+ years) in the United States, including factors that may affect use of services. Methods: We analyzed secondary data from two research and administrative databases provided by ITNAmerica, a national non-profit transportation service for older adults: ITNRides, which tracks information on older adults who used ITN in 29 locations across the United States from 1996 to 2019, and Rides in Sight, the largest national data source on ride share services for older adults. We conducted a literature review, and telephone interviews with nine key informants representing ride share services, referral services, and other organizations. We offer a conceptual framework describing factors that may affect older adults’ use of ride share services. Results: This study identified 917 non-profit ride share services and eleven for-profit ride share services available for older adults in the United States as of August 2018. Services varied by corporate structure, location, use of technology, and business model. The majority of non-profit services served primarily older adults, while the for-profit services served primarily younger adults. Riders from one multi-site non-profit service had a median age of 82. Use of ride share services is affected by individual needs and preferences; social conditions; and business and policy factors. Conclusion: Ride share services may offer a promising alternative to driving for older adults and may help to address negative health consequences associated with driving cessation. Practical applications: These findings may help policy makers, practitioners, and other stakeholders understand older adults’ needs related to use of ride share services in order to offer solutions that prioritize public health and safety.     

Precision teaching to improve drivers’ lane maintenance

Introduction: This study investigates the effect of precision teaching signals on lane maintenance. Methods: In experiment 1, the control group drove a simulator with no signals. In experiment 2, drivers were presented with auditory signals depending on their position within or outside the lane. In experiment 3, visual signals were presented in addition to auditory signals to examine the effect of redundancy on drivers’ lane maintenance. Results: Results showed an improvement in lane maintenance in experiment 2. Cross-experiment analysis indicated this effect not to be the result of learning. Data from experiment 3 also showed that presenting redundant signals did not further reduce lane variability or help drivers maintain a more central position within the lane. Conclusions: Taken together, data suggest precision teaching be effective as an educational tool to improve lane maintenance. Practical Applications: Our study shows the potential for precision teaching to serve as a valuable tool in driver training.     

Traffic climate and driver behaviors: The moderating role of driving skills in Turkey and China

Introduction: While road traffic accidents and fatalities are a worldwide problem, the rates of road traffic accidents and fatalities show differences among countries. Similarly, driver behaviors, traffic climate, and their relationships also show differences among countries. The aim of the current study is to investigate the moderating effect of driving skills on the relationship between traffic climate and driver behaviors by country. (Turkey and China). Method: There were 294 Turkish drivers and 292 Chinese drivers, and they completed the Traffic Climate Scale, the Driving Skills Inventory, and the Driver Behavior Questionnaire. The moderated moderation analyses were conducted with Hayes PROCESS tool on SPSS. Results: The results showed that safety skills moderated the relationship between internal requirements and violations both in Turkey and China. Safety skills also moderated the relationship between internal requirements and errors only in China and the relationship between functionality and violations in Turkey. Perceptual-motor skills moderated the relationships between external affective demands and errors, and also the relationship between internal requirements and positive driver behaviors in Turkey. It can be inferred that driving skills has different influences on traffic climate-driver behaviors relationship in different cultures and there might be cultural differences in the evaluation of drivers’ own driving skills. Practical Applications: Among driving skills, safety skills have a more critical role to increase road safety by decreasing number of violations. Interventions to increase safety skills of drivers might be promising for road safety.     

近50a江西省旱、涝变化趋势及驱动因素研究

基于江西省5个气象站(赣县、吉安、南城、南昌、景德镇)近50 a(1961~2010年)平均气温、最高、最低平均气温、相对湿度、风速、日照时数、降雨量等逐月平均资料,计算江西省干旱侦测指数(Reconnaissance drought index,RDI),分析旱情、涝情变化趋势。同时,运用多元回归法分析主要驱动因素。研究结果表明,1961~2010年江西省年及四个季节的降雨量、平均相对湿度与RDIst值均呈现极显著的正相关关系(p0.01),而日照时数则与RDIst值呈现极显著的负相关关系(p0.01)。降雨量对江西省旱、涝变化的贡献率最大,为42%~58%;其次是平均气温和相对湿度,分别为11%~19%和7%~19%;平均风速和日照时数对江西省旱、涝变化的贡献率较小。降雨量、相对湿度的增加,日照时数的减少共同导致了1961~2010年江西省年际尺度和春季RDIst值的增加,表明江西省总体从偏旱向偏涝转变。1961~2010年江西省夏季、秋季和冬季RDIst没有明显的增长或降低趋势。     

A note on the effectiveness of the house-arrest alternative for motivating DWI offenders to install ignition interlocks

Introduction

The effectiveness of ignition interlocks at reducing drunk driving has been limited by the ability of driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) offenders to avoid court orders to install the devices.

Methods

In a pilot program in New Mexico, four Santa Fe County judges imposed home confinement (via electronic monitoring bracelets) on offenders who claimed to have no car or no intention to drive. Interlock installation rates for Santa Fe County were compared with all other counties in New Mexico over a 2-year program and 2-year post-program period.

Results

During the two program years, 70% of the drivers convicted of DWI in Santa Fe County installed interlocks, compared to only 17% in the other counties, but when the program was terminated, the Santa Fe installation rate fell by 18.8 percentage points.

Summary

Mandating the alternative sanction of house arrest led to the highest reported interlock installation rate for DWI offenders.

Impact on Industry

Impaired driving is a substantial expense to employers, particularly when it bars driving that interferes with employment. Interlocks provide a method of protecting the public while permitting the offender to drive sober. This study was directed at increasing interlock use by DWI offenders.