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Table of Contents
Road Safety and Distracted Driving.3-5 SMARTwheel Technology6 Current Research.......7 Policy Options....................8-12 References....13
Ontario Ministry of Transportation predicts that by 2016, distracted driving fatalities will surpass those from drinking and driving
(MTO, 2014)
- Ontario in process of increasing fines for distracted driving from a range of $60 - $500 to a range of $300 - $1,000 and assigning three demerit points upon conviction
- Distracted driving is cited as a causal factor in 30 to 50 per cent of traffic collisions on Ontario, but is probably much higher due to under-reporting (Ontario Provincial Police)
- 250,852 charges laid on drivers using devices from 2010-2013 - Impossible for police to enforce law 100% - New technologies in the future will increase driver distractions (vehicle internet, more advanced phones)
SMARTwheel Technology
Steering wheel with touch/pressure sensor
Anti-distraction device monitors drivers hands to detect unsafe hand position, able to record activity data
Sends out visual (light) and audio (alarm) signals when drivers hands are deemed unsafe
Two hands: GREEN LIGHT + silent No hands: RED LIGHT + immediate ALARM One hand or two hands too close: RED LIGHT + ALARM after 3 sec.
Current Research
Product still in prototype stage, tested at MIT and found 90% users said it would change their habits Lack of research, but other driver alerting system and research from similar technologies can be used as a comparison 2008 meta-study found improvement in seat belt use in cars with an audiovisual signal (increase from 86% to 97%) (Lie, 2008) 2002 study found increase in seat belt use with Fords BeltMinder system (71% to 76%) (Williams, 2002) 2003 study by the NHTSA on attitudes found after trying it, 71% would switch to a seat belt alarm Assuming a similar effectiveness rate and acceptance towards SMARTwheel, its use in Ontario may have potential
No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway while holding or using a hand-held wireless communication device or other prescribed device that is capable of receiving or transmitting telephone communications, electronic data, mail or text messages Like the ignition interlock device, SMARTwheel is a safety device that can be retrofit into cars already in use, but can also be licensed to manufacturers
Option 1 Install SMARTWheel technology in the cars of a volunteer focus group of 300 young drivers in Ontario for 6 months Half of participants will get a silent and non-flashing SMARTwheel as a control Determine difference in percentage of time spend holding the steering wheel with and without audio/visual signals Analyze data to determine any patterns in cell phone use
- Determine difference in percentage of time spend holding the steering wheel with and without audio/visual signals
Policy Options
Both options should provide a conclusion of whether the technology indeed reduces distracted driving
Percent Time Spent "INATTENTIVE"
16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0%
N=300
NORMAL WHEEL
SMARTWHEEL
Option 1 - Volunteer teens may have selection bias - Ministry needs to fund research ($$) Option 2 - Manufacturer needs agree to participate - May enhance competition for similar products by other manufacturers
Policy Options
Goal of policy options is to determine if the MTO should legislate or recommend the use of SMARTwheel
To finally reach a policy recommendation need to determine:
1. 2. 3. 4.
5.
Effectiveness of technology How to implement it (licensing or after market) Identify populations at high risk for inattentive driving Determine if feasible for Ontario to mandate SMARTwheel without a policy at the federal level If there is interest at the federal level (Transport Canada)
References
1. 2. Ontario Road Safety Annual Report 2010 http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/orsar/orsar10/ MTO News Release, March 17th, 2014 http://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/showAttachment.do?postingId=15602&attach mentId=23840 Ontario Provincial Police: Distracted Driving http://www.opp.ca/ecms/index.php?id=545
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