Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Committee Chair

Leonel Medellin.

Abstract

Deviating attention from the complex task of driving can be distraction. Driving requires the scanning of the road environment (front, sides and back), as well as monitoring dashboard and navigational tools. Shorter eye glance durations away from road are used for better scanning of roadside hazards, compared to longer eye glances that are riskier and considered distraction.;Defining distraction as looking away from roadway for more than 2 seconds, this research analyses eye glances away from roadway for more than 2 seconds, 2.5 seconds and 3 seconds using variables such as total glance duration away from roadway, percentage glance duration away from roadway and number of glances away from roadway using data collected from young, novice and experienced drivers.;This research compares young, novice and experienced drivers, as well as first 6 months, next 6 months of novice licensed drivers by statistical analysis. It is found that novice drivers exhibit significant difference with experienced drivers and young or GDL (graduate driver license) drivers behave as experienced in presence of an instructor. No significant difference was found in eye glance characteristics of drivers within first 6 months (0--6 months) and next 6 months of license (7--12 months).

Share

COinS