Research

Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Automated Vehicles, United States, 2021: Examining the Alignment Between Preferences for Adoption and Perceived Safety
This study examined how well people’s attitudes regarding automated vehicles adoption were aligned with their perceptions of the safety of driving or riding in automated vehicles.
May 2023 // Research Brief

Drowsiness and Decision Making During Long Drives: A Driving Simulation Study
This report presents the results of a driving simulation study designed to assess the extent to which drowsy drivers are aware of their own drowsiness as well as factors influencing their decisions regarding whether to continue driving or stop for a break.
March 2023 // Technical Report // Fact Sheet

In-Vehicle Technology Use and Associated Factors Among Older Drivers
This study examines the prevalence and frequency of use of in-vehicle technologies as well as the relationships between technology-use frequency and associated factors among a subset of AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (AAA LongROAD) participants.
January 2023 // Research Brief

User Interactions with Vehicle Automation Technologies: A Review of Previous Research and a Proposed Framework
This research brief reviews recent research and proposes a framework on user perceptions, understanding, and interactions with vehicle automation technology.
January 2023 // Research Brief

Protecting Roadside Workers: Field Evaluation of Flares, Cones, and Tow Truck Light Patterns
This report documents a study with three aims: evaluate the effectiveness of flares or cones in combination with two different tow truck lighting systems; survey workers regarding use of flares and cones; and document available and potential countermeasures.
January 2023 // Technical Report // Fact Sheet

Protecting Roadside Workers: Field Evaluation of a Vehicle-Mounted Variable Message Sign and Examination of Worker Perceptions and Use of Countermeasures
This project assesses the effectiveness of a vehicle-mounted variable message sign in promoting safer behaviors in passing motorists. The study also examined workers’ perceptions and adoption or use of different countermeasures.
January 2023 // Technical Report // Fact Sheet

Traffic Safety Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Fatal Crashes Relative to Pre-Pandemic Trends, United States, May–December 2020
The number of traffic fatalities increased significantly in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. This Research Brief identifies crash-, vehicle-, and driver-related factors that contributed most to the increase in traffic fatalities.
December 2022 // Research Brief

2021 Traffic Safety Culture Index
The 2021 iteration of the annual Traffic Safety Culture Index survey provides insights into the magnitude of discordance between drivers’ attitudes/perceptions and their engagement in unsafe driving behaviors.
December 2022 // Technical Report // Fact Sheet

Human-Machine Interfaces and Vehicle Automation: A Review of the Literature and Recommendations for System Design, Feedback, and Alerts
The purpose of this study was to review and synthesize existing research and guidance on HMI design for driving automation systems and to propose a set of recommendations that could inform future system development and implementation.
November 2022 // Technical Report // Fact Sheet

American Driving Survey, 2020–2021
This Research Brief presents updated statistics on the amount of driving done by the American public in 2020 & 2021 based on data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s annual American Driving Survey.
October 2022 // Research Brief