Driver workload and its impact on safety

[waremark]

Back to Porker's question at the start of this thread. This may be a factor, but not I don't think a major one. We perform a large part of the advanced driving task at the level of unconscious competence, Observing, Anticipating Planning Prioritising Deciding and Acting without the need for conscious thought. As advanced drivers, even when chatting or listening to the radio, we process far more relevant information than less advanced drivers, and still drive safely systematically smoothly and with appropriate positioning.

When you are learning to drive you have to think about everything. With experience the normal driving processes become instinctive. When you take advanced driver training you again have to apply conscious thought to most aspects of the drive. And then in due course the methodical thoughtful approach to driving in turn becomes instinctive.

[TripleS]

If we make the "apparent" workload less, most drivers will start to divert attention to other matters (shopping list, love life, tonight's TV etc etc) .......

I'm being slow here. Do you mean if speed limits come down this will bring the workload down (same stuff to process over more time)?

If so I would agree - you only have to talk to truck drivers who poodle along at 56 about boredom.

And isn't boredom one of the reasons the Italians raised the limit on their motorways - some psychologist proved that the higher speeds would actually make drivers safer as they would concentrate more.

Sounds good to me.

Their motorway death rates are awful.

....but improving in the light of raised speed limits?

IIRC there have been claims that experiments elsewhere with raised limits (and even abolished limits) have shown better safety results, which sounds appealing, but I don't know the true situation. I suppose it depends who is presenting the statistics.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Slink_Pink]

I have no authority or statistics to back up my point of view, but here it is anyway. If the motorway speed limit was removed, as with some European roads, would the speed differential between vehicles cause an increase in accidents? The motorways are dangerous enough with individuals choosing to disregard the limit and racing up behind others much faster than they expect. I agree that most cars on the road are capable of much higher speeds, but most of the drivers are not capable of control at those speeds. Although we all feel annoyed at the current limit at times (don't we?) I think that any raising of the limit would mean that the number of accidents would increase but with greater severity.

[Porker]

Back to Porker's question at the start of this thread. This may be a factor, but not I don't think a major one. We perform a large part of the advanced driving task at the level of unconscious competence, Observing, Anticipating Planning Prioritising Deciding and Acting without the need for conscious thought. As advanced drivers, even when chatting or listening to the radio, we process far more relevant information than less advanced drivers, and still drive safely systematically smoothly and with appropriate positioning.

When you are learning to drive you have to think about everything. With experience the normal driving processes become instinctive. When you take advanced driver training you again have to apply conscious thought to most aspects of the drive. And then in due course the methodical thoughtful approach to driving in turn becomes instinctive.

I agree with everything there apart from the first sentence. My stance is that advanced drivers are more engaged in the driving process and this engagement - in its own right - has a beneficial impact on safety.

Conversely, most or at least many untrained (i.e not trained beyond the L test) drivers are quite happy to allocate the minimum level of attention that they perceive to be required to the driving task. Consequently, any reduction in driver workload incurred through reduced speeds would incline them to pay even less attention to the driving task, with a resulting reduction in overall safety levels.

[waremark]

Consequently, any reduction in driver workload incurred through reduced speeds would incline them to pay even less attention to the driving task, with a resulting reduction in overall safety levels.

I certainly agree with this.

[7db]

Consequently, any reduction in driver workload incurred through reduced speeds would incline them to pay even less attention to the driving task, with a resulting reduction in overall safety levels.

I certainly agree with this.

I have a very similar theory about waiting staff in restaurants. Best service is in moderately busy establishements, where staff are neither rushed off their feet, nor standing around chin-wagging. I assume it transfers to driving.