Traffic Safety Research Series
December 22, 2017 // Volume 2, Issue 2
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Dear Safety Research Partner,
The
Louisiana Center for Transportation Safety (LCTS),
also known as the
Safety Center
, shares this quarterly compilation of traffic safety research and e-news to keep you updated on current research and driving studies that may enhance your traffic safety practices to help save lives.
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Updates from the Safety Center
New Report! "Exploring Naturalistic Driving Data for Distracted Driving Measures"
This report utilizes the data from the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) project, which is the largest naturalistic driving study to date. The two main objectives of this study were to explore the content of and statistically analyze this large dataset to identify useful performance measures for detecting distracted driving, and to provide an outline for a crash index model to be used to quantify the crash risk associated with distracted driving.
The research was aimed at detecting whether a driver was engaged or not in one of three specific secondary tasks (talking or listening on a hand-held phone, texting/dialing on a hand-held phone, and driver interaction with an adjacent passenger) using selected performance measures. Both logistic regression analyses and neural network analyses were conducted, with the neural network analyses producing more credible results. The resulting crash index outline can provide helpful insight on quantifying the crash risk associated with distracted driving behavior in the future.
View Final Report
New Research Project! 18-1SA: "Economic Effect of Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersections in Louisiana"
The goal of this study is to analyze before and after sales tax data to assess the economic impact of Louisiana's restricted crossing U-turn intersections on nearby businesses. A secondary goal is to assess the perception of business owners and residents near these intersections.
View Project Capsule
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Local News Spotlight
2017 Louisiana Nighttime Adult Seat Belt Observation Survey Results Five sites in each of Caddo, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Jefferson, Ouachita, Rapides, and St. Charles parishes were selected for the nighttime survey observations. Each observation lasted for a period of one hour between 8:00 PM and 3:00 AM. Drivers and right front seat passengers in vehicles with a gross weigh up to 10,000 pounds were included in the survey. Results showed that in six of the eight parishes, seat belts were worn less often at night than during the day. Researchers hope this information will provide motivation to address the issue. Real the full report
DOTD & Sasol Implement First Adaptive Traffic Signal System in Louisiana
LADOTD partnered with Sasol to implement the state's first adaptive traffic signal system in Calcasieu Parish. The system will help manage traffic from the construction of Sasol's petrochemical project with six signals along the La. 378 corridor. It is expected to help reduce congestion, enhance safety, reduce delays, and shorten travel times of drivers.
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Recently Published Reports Nationwide
Enhancing Safety and Security of Transit Systems Using Computer Vision
The final report of TRB's Transit Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) explores a digital fatigue monitoring system to detect distraction and fatigue in truck drivers. The technology uses a single camera to track the geometry and expressions of the driver's face, as well as monitors the speed at which the driver's eyelids close. The camera also works with infrared light to ensure accuracy, regardless of the lighting. After experimenting to determine the best camera placement in the vehicle, the researchers found that placing the camera in front of the driver where the face yaw is at nearly 0 degrees resulted in far more accurate detection than placing the camera in the corner of the vehicle. Results show that when facial detection is accurate, the distraction detection is 100% accurate. Each camera system will cost less than $500 when mass produced.
Read the full report
Visual and Cognitive Demands of Using In-Vehicle Infotainment Systems
In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVIS) are systems that allow the driver to perform secondary tasks unrelated to driving, and have become the norm in today's vehicles. The purpose of this study conducted by AAA was to determine which types of IVIS require the most work, and which tasks are the most distracting. 30 vehicles were tested, with 24 different drivers operating the vehicles on a residential road with a posted speed limit of 25 mph. Results of the report show three main things: some tasks are more impairing than others, some modes of interaction are more distracting than others, and IVIS interactions are easier to perform in some vehicles than others. Ultimately, the report recommends against IVIS that allow drivers to perform visual-manual text messaging, visual-manual internet browsing, visual-manual social media browsing, visual-manual navigation system destination entry by address, visual-manual 10-digit phone dialing, and displaying more than 30 characters of text unrelated to the task of driving.
Read the full report
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Leveraging Large-Truck Technology and Engineering
to Realize Safety Gains
In 2015, vehicles with a gross weight of over 10,000 pounds drove 280 billion miles and were involved in over 400,000 crashes in the U.S. From these crashes, 116,000 injuries and 4,067 deaths occurred. There are several innovative technologies that can help prevent these crashes from occurring. This includes video-based onboard safety monitoring systems, lane departure warning (LDW) systems, automatic emergency brakes, and air disc brakes. The goal of this study, conducted by AAA, was to determine the cost-effectiveness of each of these technologies in large trucks.
Video-based onboard safety monitoring systems use a camera to record the driver to show how they behave and respond to driving situations. Empirical studies have shown that these monitoring systems could have prevented 61% to 80% of crashes. Although only one provider shared detailed cost information, it spears that one system would cost approximately $800, not including the extensive coaching costs that would be necessary. The report concluded that, economically, the benefits of installing video-based onboard safety monitoring systems outweigh the costs. LDWs are in-vehicle electronic systems that warn a driver when they are deviating from their lane, as long as a turn signal is not activated. The cost of implementing this would cost between $301 to $2,000 per truck, but reduces large truck crashes by 13% to 15%. The report concluded that LDW systems are cost effective, regardless of cost and efficacy rates. Again, the benefits of this technological implementation outweigh the costs. Automatic emergency braking systems detect when a crash is imminent, and automatically activates the truck's brakes if the driver failed to do so. The cost associated with this system is $2,400 to $2,600 per vehicle, and the efficacy in preventing large truck collisions ranges from 16% to 52.3%. Results of this report show that although these systems could save lives, they are not always cost-effective. Lastly, air disc brakes are an alternative to traditional drum brakes. Air disc brakes use air pressure and an internal slack adjuster to move a power screw, which then applies pressure on the wheel's disc. This results in reduced stopping distance and reduced maintenance when compared with traditional drum brakes. Air disc brakes cost approximately $1,300 per truck, and reduce stopping distances up to 30% and can reduce high speed rear end collisions by 43.2%. Results of this report claim that installing these would most likely be cost-effective, if the systems can be installed at a below average price.
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| Key findings provided by AAA 2017 |
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National News Spotlight
Motorcycle Crashes Far More Deadly than Car Crashes
The Governor's Highway Safety Association (GHSA) spokesperson Kara Macek speaks on the findings of a Canadian study, claiming that the death rate for motorcycles was five times higher than car crashes.
Fewer People Dying in Crashes on Iowa Roads in 2017
As of the end of November 2017, Iowa has seen roughly 300 traffic crash related deaths, as opposed to just over 400 for the 2016 year. Chief of the Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau says that the media may have finally caught the attention of motorists.
Read More
As Bicycling Gains Popularity, Safety Concerns Rise
Studies done by the University of California San Francisco discovered that bike related traumatic injuries increased by 28% and hospital admissions due to bike traumas rose by 120% over a 15 year period. Doctors all across the country are reporting more bicycle related traumas, and are encouraging bicyclists to wear a helmet.
Read More
USDOT Releases 2016 Fatal Traffic Crash Data
According to the data from NHTSA, 37,461 lives were lost on the roads in 2016, a 5.6% increase from 2015. The data shows that distraction-related and drowsy-driving related deaths decreased, but drunk-driving, speeding-related, unbelted, motorcyclist, pedestrian, and bicyclist deaths all increased.
Read More
Trouble Ahead: A Third of Teens Think It's Legal to Drive Under the Influence of Marijuana
In a new survey of 2,800 teens and 1,000 parents of licensed teen drivers, a third of teens and 27% of parents think it's legal to drive under the influence of marijuana. Those surveyed did not take the danger of marijuana causing negative affects on driving as seriously as they did with alcohol. 68% of the teens and 76% of the parents said that driving under the influence of marijuana is dangerous, but 88% of the teens and 93% of the parents said driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous.
Read More
Red Light Cameras Reduce Injury Crashes in Chicago
A recent analysis conducted by researchers at Northwestern University shows that injury crashes have reduced by 10% and angle injury crashes have reduced by 19%. There was also a 14% increase in rear-end injury crashes at intersections with cameras, most likely due to drivers trying to avoid a ticket. The researchers claim these crashes are far less severe than the angle crashes.
Read More
Smartphones are Killing Americans, but Nobody's Counting
Motor vehicle deaths steadily increased from 2015 to 2016, resulting than more than 100 people dying every day in or near a vehicle in America. Regulators have noted that total miles driven has slightly risen, as well as speeding and drinking. However, smartphone usage has tremendously increased. from 2014 to 2016, and the way cell phones are used has also changed. People are now texting and tweeting as opposed to talking into a phone. One of the largest struggles is cell phones being properly reported as the reason for a crash.
Read More
Holiday Drunk Driving Facts
NHTSA's Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over safety campaign is running December 13-31, 2017. Over the last five years, an average of 300 people died per year during the week between Christmas and New Years.
Read More
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Stay Updated on Ongoing National Studies
View some of the projects that the Safety Center is following:
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National Traffic Safety Fact Sheets
Fatalities by Person Type, Change from 2005 to 2015
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January 7-11, 2018, Washington, D.C.
(Paper submissions no longer accepted)
February 25-28, 2018, Baton Rouge, LA
March 20-21, 2018, Washington, D.C.
April 22-24, 2018, San Antonio, TX
July 7-10, 2018, San Diego, CA
GHSA 2018 Annual Meeting
August 25-29, 2018, Atlanta, GA
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