Publication Details

Driver performance in young males as measured by the highway systems research car

Type: Paper

Subtype: Project Task Report

Author(s): Johns, Themis R.; Bundy, Henry L.

Pages: 78

Publisher: UNC Highway Safety Research Center

Url: https://trid.trb.org/view/29227

Publication Date: 1974

Address: Chapel Hill, NC

Abstract: The present study was designed to provide descriptive data from a subset of North Carolina young male drivers. Additional objectives included examination of the relationships between objective and subjective measures of driving performance in an exploration for variables which may have relevance for driver licensing. The drivers drove an instrumented vehicle over a standardized one-mile test route and additional courses. In a test-retest context, fine and coarse steering reversal rates were found to be the most reliable variables. Fine steering reversal rate appeared to be less course dependent and more driver dependent than any other control input variable. Correlations were found between Highway Systems Research control inputs and traffic counts on the different courses for all variables except fine steering reversal rate. The Examiner's rating for an individual subject tended to be consistent over the courses, and correlated positively with tracking variables, fine and coarse steering reversal rates, speed control variables, speed change, and brake application rates. Superior ratings were associated with low control input rates. Subjects who had recorded violations in their previous three-year driving history rated as better drivers than those without violations. Analysis of Complex coordinator data and its relationship to driving record indicated that subjects showing the most improvement in CC problem solving time were more likely to have recorded violations than those showing the least improvement. By combined findings subjects could be discriminated into the "none" and "one or more" categories of violations by the three variables examiner rating, CC time deviation values, both 1 and 2.