Calling while driving: effects of providing remote traffic context

Cell phone conversations distract drivers. This research explores the possibility of reducing distracting by providing callers with remote information about the driver's traffic. We asked whether providing such contextual information would change the caller's conversation such that drivers would be less distracted. In Experiment 1 we examined this question in a low-fidelity driving simulator; in Experiment 2 we examined this question in a higher fidelity simulator. In both experiments, remote callers and passengers were distracting. Providing traffic information to the remote caller significantly reduced crashes in the low fidelity tests and significantly reduced passing in the high fidelity tests, compared with the control conditions. We consider the implications for development of remote displays or signals to promote driving safety.

[1]  D. Strayer,et al.  Cell phone-induced failures of visual attention during simulated driving. , 2003, Journal of experimental psychology. Applied.

[2]  M. A. Recarte,et al.  COGNITIVE DEMANDS OF HANDS-FREE-PHONE CONVERSATION WHILE DRIVING , 2002 .

[3]  A J McKnight,et al.  The effect of cellular phone use upon driver attention. , 1993, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[4]  A.J. Kames.  A study of the effects of mobile telephone use and control unit design on driving performance , 1978, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology.

[5]  Zareh Parseghian,et al.  A Driving Simulator Evaluation of Active Warning Signs , 1997 .

[6]  David L. Strayer,et al.  Driven to Distraction: Dual-Task Studies of Simulated Driving and Conversing on a Cellular Telephone , 2001, Psychological science.

[7]  M. A. Recarte,et al.  Mental workload while driving: effects on visual search, discrimination, and decision making. , 2003, Journal of experimental psychology. Applied.

[8]  S J Westerman,et al.  Mobile (cellular) phone use and driving: a critical review of research methodology , 2001, Ergonomics.

[9]  Ingo Totzke,et al.  In-Vehicle Communication and Driving: An Attempt to Overcome their Interference , 2000 .

[10]  Herbert H. Clark,et al.  Grounding in communication , 1991, Perspectives on socially shared cognition.

[11]  Joanne L. Harbluk,et al.  Cell phone communication and driver visual behavior: the impact of cognitive distraction , 2003, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[12]  R. Tibshirani,et al.  Association between cellular-telephone calls and motor vehicle collisions. , 1997, The New England journal of medicine.

[13]  H. H. Clark,et al.  References in Conversation Between Experts and Novices , 1987 .

[14]  Stephanie D. Teasley,et al.  Perspectives on socially shared cognition , 1991 .

[15]  B. Webber,et al.  Elements of Discourse Understanding , 1983 .

[16]  S H Fairclough,et al.  EFFECTS OF HANDSFREE TELEPHONE USE ON DRIVING BEHAVIOUR , 1991 .

[17]  Dary D. Fiorentino,et al.  Time-To-Collision: A Sensitive Measure of Driver Interaction with Traffic in a Simulated Driving Task , 1997 .

[18]  J Williams.  CELL PHONES AND DRIVING , 2002 .

[19]  A. Baddeley.  Exploring the Central Executive , 1996 .

[20]  Kenneth W. Gish,et al.  DISTRACTIONS IN EVERYDAY DRIVING , 2003 .

[21]  Daniel P. Siewiorek,et al.  In-car cell phone use: mitigating risk by signaling remote callers , 2002, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[22]  J. Bavelas,et al.  Gestures Specialized for Dialogue , 1995 .