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Driver Behavior
Driver
behavioral
issues range
from the nature
of expertise
behind the wheel
(i.e., the
difference
between novice
and experienced
drivers) to the
effects of
secondary tasks
on the
performance of
the driver
(i.e., what is
commonly
referred to as
“driver
distraction” in
the popular
press) to such
issues as
alcohol effects,
driver fatigue
and emergency
reactions/responses.
There is an
extensive body
of Human Factors
research in this
arena dealing
with “normal” or
“typical” driver
performance
parameters
(including their
range and
variability), as
well as research
dealing with
subpopulations
such as older
drivers and cell
phone users.
Much of this
research does
not conform to
the
“conventional
wisdom” which
“experts” from
other
disciplines
(e.g., accident
reconstructionists,
driving
instructors,
etc.) may
believe to be
true. Knowledge
of and
familiarity with
this extensive
body of research
is often
critical to the
understanding of
accident
causation or
evaluation of
the potential
for accident
avoidance.
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