Kirsteen Titchener

Driver distractions: characteristics underlying drivers’ risk perceptions

Driver distraction is a research area that continues to receive considerable research interest but the drivers’ perspective is less well documented. The current research focuses on how drivers perceive the risks associated with a range of driver distractions with the aim of identifying features that contribute to their risk perception judgements. Multidimensional scaling analysis was employed to better understand drivers’ risk perceptions for 15 in‐vehicle and external distractions. Results identify both salient qualitative characteristics that underpin drivers’ risk perceptions, such as the probability of a crash, as well as identify other features inherent in the distractions that may also contribute to risk perceptions. The implications of the results are discussed for better understanding drivers’ perceptions of distractions and the potential for improving road safety messages related to distracted driving.

The role of affective processes on young drivers’ risk perceptions: a dual process model approach

Young adults continue to be over-represented in injury and death statistics associated with transport-related crashes. The current paper investigates the application of the dual process model of risky judgement to the processing of transport-related risky behaviours. One hundred Australian participants completed an online survey exploring four transport-related risky situations. Participants were assessed on their cognitive and affective evaluations of the risky situations as well as their self-reported likelihood of participation in them. The findings indicate that perceptions of risk for specific transport-related behaviours are not processed in a consistent manner. Predictive factors, including gender, affective and cognitive processing, as well as the subsequent self-reported likelihood of engaging in the behaviours, varied between situations. The research indicates that driver interventions may need to be individually targeted to specific transport-related risky behaviours to compensate for the variation in predictive factors.

Driven by distraction: investigating the effects of anxiety on driving performance using the Attentional Control Theory

This study investigates the effects of trait anxiety on self-reported driving behaviours through its negative impacts on Central Executive functions. Following a self-report study that found trait anxiety to be significantly related to driving behaviours, the present study extended the predictions of Eysenck and Calvo’s Attentional Control Theory, proposing that anxiety affects driving behaviours, in particular driving lapses, through its impact across the Central Executive. Seventy-five Australian drivers participated in the study, completing the Parametric Go/No-Go and n-back tasks, as well as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Driving Behaviour Questionnaire. While both trait anxiety and processing efficiency of the Central Executive was found to significantly predict driving lapses, trait anxiety remained a strong predictor of driving lapses after processing efficiency was controlled for. It is concluded that while processing efficiency of the central Executive is a key determinant of driving lapses, another Central Executive function that is closer to the driving lapses in the trait anxiety – driving lapses relationship may be needed. Suggestions regarding how to improve future trait anxiety – driving behaviours research are discussed.

Passing crisis and emergency risk communications: The effects of communication channel, information type, and repetition

Three experiments explore several factors which influence information transmission when warning messages are passed from person to person. In Experiment 1, messages were passed down chains of participants using five different modes of communication. Written communication channels resulted in more accurate message transmission than verbal. In addition, some elements of the message endured further down the chain than others. Experiment 2 largely replicated these effects and also demonstrated that simple repetition of a message eliminated differences between written and spoken communication. In a final field experiment, chains of participants passed information however they wanted to, with the proviso that half of the chains could not use telephones. Here, the lack of ability to use a telephone did not affect accuracy, but did slow down the speed of transmission from the recipient of the message to the last person in the chain. Implications of the findings for crisis and emergency risk communication are discussed.

Cross-modal conflicts in object recognition: determining the influence of object category.

Previous research examining cross-modal conflicts in object recognition has often made use of animal vocalizations and images, which may be considered natural and ecologically valid, thus strengthening the association in the congruent condition. The current research tested whether the same cross-modal conflict would exist for man-made object sounds as well as comparing the speed and accuracy of auditory processing across the two object categories. Participants were required to attend to a sound paired with a visual stimulus and then respond to a verification item (e.g., “Dog?”). Sounds were congruent (same object), neutral (unidentifiable image), or incongruent (different object) with the images presented. In the congruent and neutral condition, animals were recognized significantly faster and with greater accuracy than man-made objects. It was hypothesized that in the incongruent condition, no difference in reaction time or error rate would be found between animals and man-made objects. This prediction was not supported, indicating that the association between an object’s sound and image may not be that disparate when comparing animals to man-made objects. The findings further support cross-modal conflict research for both the animal and man-made object category. The most important finding, however, was that auditory processing is enhanced for living compared to nonliving objects, a difference only previously found in visual processing. Implications relevant to both the neuropsychological literature and sound research are discussed.

Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs towards injury prevention: a population-based telephone survey

Public knowledge and beliefs about injury prevention are currently poorly understood. A total of 1030 residents in the State of Queensland, Australia, responded to questions about injury prevention in or around the home, on the roads, in or on the water, at work, deliberate injury and responsibility for preventing deliberate injury allowing for comparison with reported injury prevalence data. Overall, the youngest members of society were identified as being the most vulnerable to deliberate injury with young adults accounting for 59% of responses aligning with reported data. However, younger adults failed to indicate an awareness of their own vulnerability to deliberate injury in alcohol environments even though 61% of older respondents were aware of this trend. Older respondents were the least inclined to agree that they could make a difference to their own safety in or around the home but were more inclined to agree that they could make a difference to their own safety at work. The results are discussed with a view to using improved awareness of public beliefs about injury to identify barriers to the uptake of injury prevention strategies (e.g. low perceived injury risk) as well as areas where injury prevention strategies may receive public support.

Community Beliefs About Intentional Injury and Responsibility for Prevention

Community beliefs related to intentional injury inflicted by others were examined in a population-based telephone survey (n = 1032) in Queensland, Australia. Young adults 18 to 24 years old were nominated as the most likely to be intentionally injured. It was found that 89.1% of respondents nominating this group believed that the injury incidents occur in alcohol environments. Though respondents from this age group also identified 18- to 24-year-olds as most likely to be intentionally injured, this was at a significantly lower level when compared with parents or 25- to 64-year-olds respondents. Responsibility for preventing injuries was placed on proprietors of licensed premises, schools, and parents/family of the victim for alcohol, school, and home environments, respectively. Beliefs were aligned with prevalence data on intentional injury, demonstrating a high level of awareness in the community about likely victims and situations where intentional injuries occur. Interventions could target families of young adults to capitalize on high levels of awareness about young adult vulnerability.

Evaluating the application of research-based guidance to the design of an emergency preparedness leaflet.

UNLABELLED Guidelines for the design of emergency communications were derived from primary research and interrogation of the literature. The guidelines were used to re-design a nuclear emergency preparedness leaflet routinely distributed to households in the local area. Pre-test measures of memory for, and self-reported understanding of, nuclear safety information were collected. The findings revealed high levels of non-receipt of the leaflet, and among those who did receive it, memory for safety advice was poor. Subjective evaluations of the trial leaflet suggested that it was preferred and judged easier to understand than the original. Objective measures of memory for the two leaflets were also recorded, once after the study period, and again one week or four weeks later. Memory for the advice was better, at all time periods, when participants studied the trial leaflet. The findings showcase evaluation of emergency preparedness literature and suggest that extant research findings can be applied to the design of communications to improve memory and understandability. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE Studies are described that showcase the use of research-based guidelines to design emergency communications and provide both subjective and objective data to support designing emergency communications in this way. In addition, the research evaluates the effectiveness of emergency preparedness leaflets that are routinely distributed to households. This work is of relevance to academics interested in risk communication and to practitioners involved in civil protection and emergency preparedness.