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Encouraging young drivers to use driving feedback systems (referred to here as “green boxes”) is a challenge. Prior research and experience have indicated that adoption of green boxes has been minimal, primarily because of insufficient motivation. Research has also demonstrated that providing feedback from green boxes to young drivers or their parents has reduced the frequency of risky behavior. This study investigated the possible benefits of providing group incentives to encourage the use of green boxes among young drivers. The specific green box used in this study was a smartphone app that needed to be initiated at the beginning of each trip. Once initiated, the app monitored driving behavior in terms of g-force events, provided a score and feedback, and shared the driving information with a predefined sponsor. This study built and expanded on a previous study by making the duration of the experiment longer and by allowing participants to recruit their friends to help the group win its rewards. Despite the more demanding scheme, the results obtained repeated the success of the previous study: all eligible participants downloaded the app and used it to win the rewards for the group. Additionally, friends were recruited by participants to use the app to help the group win rewards (without acquiring any personal rewards for themselves). Once all prespecified rewards were achieved within the allotted period, the young drivers stopped using the app. This study confirms again that barriers to adoption of the green box app by young drivers can be overcome by choosing low-cost, suitable group incentive schemes.

Encouraging young drivers to use driving feedback systems (referred to here as “green boxes”) is a challenge. Prior research and experience have indicated that adoption of green boxes has been minimal, primarily because of insufficient motivation. Research has also demonstrated that providing feedback from green boxes to young drivers or their parents has reduced the frequency of risky behavior. This study investigated the possible benefits of providing group incentives to encourage the use of green boxes among young drivers. The specific green box used in this study was a smartphone app that needed to be initiated at the beginning of each trip. Once initiated, the app monitored driving behavior in terms of g-force events, provided a score and feedback, and shared the driving information with a predefined sponsor. This study built and expanded on a previous study by making the duration of the experiment longer and by allowing participants to recruit their friends to help the group win its rewards. Despite the more demanding scheme, the results obtained repeated the success of the previous study: all eligible participants downloaded the app and used it to win the rewards for the group. Additionally, friends were recruited by participants to use the app to help the group win rewards (without acquiring any personal rewards for themselves). Once all prespecified rewards were achieved within the allotted period, the young drivers stopped using the app. This study confirms again that barriers to adoption of the green box app by young drivers can be overcome by choosing low-cost, suitable group incentive schemes.

This paper aims to explore the driving behavior of young drivers few years after licensure based on two different evaluation approaches, which are used in a complementary manner. The evaluation was done with respect to driving exposure and trip safety. The evaluation is based on two data collection approaches, which were compiled for the same trips: The first, In Vehicle Data Recorders (IVDR), which were installed in the young drivers’ vehicles for a study period of 8 months. The second, Self-Reports (SR), which were provided by the young drivers at random times throughout the study period. These data have been compared and used in a complementary manner in order to provide an understanding of participants’ driving behavior. The results show high correlation of driving exposure which was self-reported and these obtained from IVDR. The results also indicate that young drivers clearly perceived themselves as being safer drivers than they are, according to IVDR findings. In addition variables available only in the SR e.g., the presence of passenger in the car were found to affect the trip risk level. The analysis obtained should be considered as exemplifying the potential of what may be accomplished and understood using these evaluation approaches.

This study examines the impact of the provision of feedback and guidance about parental monitoring on the safety performance of young male drivers during their first year of driving. The research used an in-vehicle data recorder (IVDR), which documented events of extreme gravitational forces measured in the vehicles that participated in the experiment. Two hundred forty-two families of young male drivers participated in the research. Participants were randomly allocated into four groups: (a) family feedback, no guidance, in which all members of a family were exposed to feedback on their own driving and on that of other family members; (b) family feedback, parental guidance, in which, in addition to the family feedback, parents received personal guidance on ways to enhance their involvement with and monitor their sons' driving; (c) individual feedback, no guidance, in which family members received feedback only on their own driving behavior and not that of other family members; and (d) a control group, which received no feedback at all. IVDRs were installed in family cars for 12 months, starting from the time that the young driver received his driver's license. This period included the initial 3 months of the accompanied driving phase and 9 months of independent driving. The driving exposure of young drivers increased significantly during the solo period compared with that during the accompanied period. The results indicate substantial differences in behavior between young drivers in the control group and the group that received both feedback and guidance on parental involvement.

This study examines the impact of the provision of feedback and guidance about parental monitoring on the safety performance of young male drivers during their first year of driving. The research used an in-vehicle data recorder (IVDR), which documented events of extreme gravitational forces measured in the vehicles that participated in the experiment. Two hundred forty-two families of young male drivers participated in the research. Participants were randomly allocated into four groups: (a) family feedback, no guidance, in which all members of a family were exposed to feedback on their own driving and on that of other family members; (b) family feedback, parental guidance, in which, in addition to the family feedback, parents received personal guidance on ways to enhance their involvement with and monitor their sons' driving; (c) individual feedback, no guidance, in which family members received feedback only on their own driving behavior and not that of other family members; and (d) a control group, which received no feedback at all. IVDRs were installed in family cars for 12 months, starting from the time that the young driver received his driver's license. This period included the initial 3 months of the accompanied driving phase and 9 months of independent driving. The driving exposure of young drivers increased significantly during the solo period compared with that during the accompanied period. The results indicate substantial differences in behavior between young drivers in the control group and the group that received both feedback and guidance on parental involvement.

This study analyzes intrafamilial transmission of driving behavior by examining driving patterns of newly licensed young drivers and their family members as recorded over a period of 9 months using in-vehicle data recorders. Various maneuvers that the drivers undertook were identified in the measurements and used to compute risk indices for each driver during each month. The correlations between risk indices of drivers within the same family were studied. The results show intrafamilial transmission of driving behavior and reveal that this transmission evolves over time, as the behavior of young drivers is initially more closely related to that of their family members but gradually develops into a more differentiated personal driving style. Higher correlations are also found for specific maneuver types, such as braking and accelerating, and to a lesser extent for other maneuvers, such as speeding. The findings of the study indicate a need to carefully consider the role played by parents in the driving education of young adults and advising parents to exert control over their offspring's driving through positive modeling, and not only through well-designed commentary during driving.

This study analyzes intrafamilial transmission of driving behavior by examining driving patterns of newly licensed young drivers and their family members as recorded over a period of 9 months using in-vehicle data recorders. Various maneuvers that the drivers undertook were identified in the measurements and used to compute risk indices for each driver during each month. The correlations between risk indices of drivers within the same family were studied. The results show intrafamilial transmission of driving behavior and reveal that this transmission evolves over time, as the behavior of young drivers is initially more closely related to that of their family members but gradually develops into a more differentiated personal driving style. Higher correlations are also found for specific maneuver types, such as braking and accelerating, and to a lesser extent for other maneuvers, such as speeding. The findings of the study indicate a need to carefully consider the role played by parents in the driving education of young adults and advising parents to exert control over their offspring's driving through positive modeling, and not only through well-designed commentary during driving.

This paper describes the overall framework and components of an in-vehicle data recorder (IVDR) called DriveDiagnostics and presents results from a study to validate its performance. This IVDR has been designed to monitor and analyze driver behavior not only in crash or precrash events but also in normal driving situations. It records the movement of the vehicle and uses this information to indicate overall trip safety. A validation study involved 33 drivers whose vehicles were instrumented with the IVDR. The experiment first included a blind profiling stage in which drivers did not receive any feedback from the system; that stage was followed by a feedback stage in which drivers had access to personal web pages with the information recorded by the system. Data collected in the blind profiling stage was used to investigate the connection between driver safety indices as captured by the system and historic crash data. The results show significant correlations between the two data sets, suggesting that the driving risk indices can be used as indicators of the risk of involvement in car crashes. This connection enabled investigation of the potential impact of the system on driving behavior and on safety. The results show that the initial exposure of drivers to the system has a significant positive impact on their behavior and on safety. Access to the feedback provided by the system has further impact on driver performance. However, if follow-up efforts are not made, neither of these positive impacts is sustained over time.

This paper describes the overall framework and components of an in-vehicle data recorder (IVDR) called DriveDiagnostics and presents results from a study to validate its performance. This IVDR has been designed to monitor and analyze driver behavior not only in crash or precrash events but also in normal driving situations. It records the movement of the vehicle and uses this information to indicate overall trip safety. A validation study involved 33 drivers whose vehicles were instrumented with the IVDR. The experiment first included a blind profiling stage in which drivers did not receive any feedback from the system; that stage was followed by a feedback stage in which drivers had access to personal web pages with the information recorded by the system. Data collected in the blind profiling stage was used to investigate the connection between driver safety indices as captured by the system and historic crash data. The results show significant correlations between the two data sets, suggesting that the driving risk indices can be used as indicators of the risk of involvement in car crashes. This connection enabled investigation of the potential impact of the system on driving behavior and on safety. The results show that the initial exposure of drivers to the system has a significant positive impact on their behavior and on safety. Access to the feedback provided by the system has further impact on driver performance. However, if follow-up efforts are not made, neither of these positive impacts is sustained over time.

The need for realistic route choice models has become essential in light of the on going research in the IVHS (Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems) area, where drivers are required to incorporate verbal, visual and prescriptive information into their own perceptions while making route choices. We present a modeling framework for route choice in the presence of information based on concepts from fuzzy set theory, approximate reasoning and fuzzy control. We use fuzzy sets to model perceptions of network attributes, and traffic information provided by an information system. Rules of the form: “if ... then ...” are used to model the decision process, and to describe attitudes towards taking a specific route given (possibly vague) perceptions on network attributes. The rules are used as anchoring schemes for decisions, while the adjustment of the rules to changing conditions is done by an approximate reasoning mechanism. The suggested approach provides a route choice model in which the final choice is a combination of various considerations each of which captures a certain aspect of the final decision in a non-linear fashion. We demonstrate the methodology through a small example and discuss calibration issues and implementation difficulties.

The need for realistic route choice models has become essential in light of the ongoing research in the IVHS (Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems) area, where drivers are required to incorporate verbal, visual and prescriptive information into their own perceptions while making route choices. We present a modeling framework for route choice in the presence of information based on concepts from fuzzy set theory, approximate reasoning and fuzzy control. We use linguistic variables to model perceptions about network attributes, and traffic information provided by an information system. Rules of the form: "if . . . then . . ." are used to model the decision process, and to describe attitudes towards taking a specific route given (possibly vague) perceptions on network attributes. The rules are used as anchoring schemes for decisions, while the adjustment of the rules to changing conditions is done by an approximate reasoning mechanism. We demonstrate the methodology through a small example and discuss calibration issues and implementation difficulties.