Investigating the effect of blood alcohol concentration on motorcyclist’s riding performance using an advanced motorcycle simulator

It is largely accepted that drink-driving significantly increases the likelihood that a driver may engage in risk-taking behavior and thus road crash. Although there have been a few studies examining the effect of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) on rider performance in developed countries, there has not been any research on the effect of BAC levels on motorcycle rider’s performance in developing countries. This study is attempted to evaluate the effect of low BAC levels (i.e., ≤0.05 g/dL or 0.05) on riding performance of motorcycle riders in Vietnam using an advanced motorcycle riding simulator. Thirty-four motorcycle riders aged 18–40 complete simulated rides on three BAC levels, namely 0.00, 0.02, and 0.05. Riding performance indicators are measured and compared at different BAC levels. These indicators include average speed, average lateral overtaking distance, brake reaction time, acceleration, deceleration, and frequency of lane change. At the level BAC = 0.02 or lower, the negative effects on the rider’s ability to control a motorcycle safely are statically insignificant. At the level BAC = 0.05, all the performances are impaired and the negative effects become statistically significant. In comparison of between novice participants and experienced participants at the same level of BAC, mean speed and acceleration rates of novice participants are significantly higher than the experienced participant. Based on the findings, the paper further discusses empirical relationships between reduced riding performances and road crash risk, and insights into drink-riding deterrence policy-making with regard to motorcycle riders.     

Prevalence and factors associated with turn signal neglect-related crashes among motorcyclists and car drivers in Vietnam

Road traffic crashes and injuries are a major societal challenge around the world. However, the majority of injuries and fatalities occur disproportionately in low-income and medium-income countries. Previous studies have concluded that risky behaviours were the main contributing factor of traffic crashes. Turn signal neglect (TSN) when making a turn is one of those risky behaviours. Unfortunately, research on TSN has been very limited. This study investigates the prevalence of TSN-related crashes and factors affecting TSN among motorcyclists and car drivers. Data was obtained from self-administered questionnaires conducted in Vietnam. The findings showed that 17.54% of motorcyclists and 14.76% of car drivers have experienced at least one crash caused by their failure to turn signals in the last three years. Additionally, fewer years having a riding/driving license, longer daily travelling time, lower frequency of turn signal use, and having received a fine due to TSN were found to be positively associated with TSN-related crashes for both motorcyclists and car drivers. The findings highlight the importance of TSN for road safety and the need for authorities to develop more effective educational strategies and to increase traffic law enforcement.     

A longitudinal study of "intrusion-based reasoning" and posttraumatic stress disorder after exposure to a train disaster

Previously, we found that chronic PTSD relates to “intrusion-based reasoning” (IR), i.e. the tendency to interpret distressing intrusions themselves as evidence that danger is impending, regardless of objective danger information (Engelhard et al., Behav. Res. Ther. 39 (2001) 1139). This study was intended to elucidate the causal status of this relation. Twenty-nine residents of a Belgian town witnessed a train crash and were assessed for IR and PTSD symptoms within 1 month and were re-assessed for PTSD at 3.5 months. Fourteen control residents did not witness the crash and were also tested for IR. The IR paradigm involved rating the danger of brief scenarios in which objective danger and presence of intrusions about the crash were systematically varied. The directly exposed residents showed greater danger ratings to scenarios in which intrusions were included than did the controls. IR was strongly related to both acute and chronic PTSD symptoms. It did not significantly predict chronic PTSD symptoms after controlling for acute symptoms, although the partial correlation (r=0.26, p=0.09) was in the expected direction. The data suggest that IR is involved in the onset and maintenance of PTSD symptoms, but more clarity about causality awaits future larger and experimental studies.     

The Appreciation of Humor in Captioned Cartoons

Humor appreciation for captioned cartoons was studied as a function of cartoon category and eight predictor variables: complexity, difficulty, fit, depth, visual humor, artwork, vulgarity, and originality. Preference and funniness proved to be virtually identical as criterion variables and were combined as appreciation for further analysis. A nonmetric factor analysis of appreciation ratings yielded four dimensions: (a) Sexual, (b) Incongruity, (c) Social Issues, and (d) Marriage-Family. Sexual and Marriage-Family were the most appreciated categories, Social Issues the least appreciated. Fit and originality were the only predictor variables with significant relationships to appreciation independent of the category effect. Cartoons judged to have the most originality and the best fit between drawing and caption were most appreciated. The results suggest that the kinds of cognitive processes involved in cartoon-humor appreciation are very similar to those involved in environmental preference.     

Motorcycle riders’ self-reported aggression when riding compared with car driving

Aggressive driving has been shown to be related to increased crash risk for car driving. However, less is known about aggressive behaviour and motorcycle riding and whether there are differences in on-road aggression as a function of vehicle type. If such differences exist, these could relate to differences in perceptions of relative vulnerability associated with characteristics of the type of vehicle such as level of protection and performance. Specifically, the relative lack of protection offered by motorcycles may cause riders to feel more vulnerable and therefore to be less aggressive when they are riding compared to when they are driving. This study examined differences in self-reported aggression as a function of two vehicle types: passenger cars and motorcycles. Respondents (n = 247) were all motorcyclists who also drove a car. Results were that scores for the composite driving aggression scale were significantly higher than on the composite riding aggression scale. Regression analyses identified different patterns of predictors for driving aggression from those for riding aggression. Safety attitudes followed by thrill seeking tendencies were the strongest predictors for driving aggression, with more positive safety attitudes being protective whilst greater thrill seeking was associated with greater self-reported aggressive driving behaviour. For riding aggression, thrill seeking was the strongest predictor (positive relationship), followed by self-rated skill, such that higher self-rated skill was protective against riding aggression. Participants who scored at the 85th percentile or above for the aggressive driving and aggressive riding indices had significantly higher scores on thrill seeking, greater intentions to engage in future risk taking, and lower safety attitude scores than other participants. In addition participants with the highest aggressive driving scores also had higher levels of self-reported past traffic offences than other participants. Collectively, these findings suggest that people are less likely to act aggressively when riding a motorcycle than when driving a car, and that those who are the most aggressive drivers are different from those who are the most aggressive riders. However, aggressive riders and drivers appear to present a risk to themselves and others on road. Importantly, the underlying influences for aggressive riding or driving that were identified in this study may be amenable to education and training interventions.     

Effects of visual roll on steering control and gaze behavior in a motorcycle simulator

The goal of this study was to examine the effects of visual roll tilt on gaze and riding behavior when negotiating a bend using a motorcycle simulator. To this end, experienced motorcyclists rode along a track with a series of right and left turns whilst the degree of visual roll tilt was manipulated in three different conditions. Gaze behavior was analyzed by using the tangent point as a dynamic spatial reference; the deviation of gaze to this particular point was computed in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Steering control was assessed in terms of the lateral positioning, steering stability and number of lane departures. In the no-roll condition, the motorcyclists tracked a steering point on the road ahead, which was compatible with the hypothesis of “steer where you look” behavior. In the roll condition, our results revealed that the horizontal distribution of gaze points relative to the tangent point was preserved. However, significantly more fixations were made further ahead of the tangent point in the vertical direction. This modification of visual behavior was coupled with a degradation in steering stability and an offset in lateral positioning, which sometimes led to lane departures. These results are discussed with regard to models of visual control of steering for bend negotiation.     

Narrative (Re)Righting: Recovering and Rebuilding a Life Rocked by Trauma

In this paper, I write about and through my recent brush with death to narrate myself out of fear and desperation and into hope and acceptance. Storytelling helps me sort through the rubble and make sense of my life repeatedly rocked by trauma. Narrative reframing takes me a step further, empowering me to rebuild and reinvent my life through the stories I choose to tell as I move forward. Through this work, I am reminded rebuilding is temporary, continual, and precarious; and not only possible, but important and necessary.     

Exploring psychological factors of mobile phone use while riding among motorcyclists in Vietnam

Mobile phone use while riding is one of the five most common risky behaviors of motorcycle riders in Vietnam. This study investigated motorcyclist’s mobile phone use while riding intention and behavior based on the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Based on this framework, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, habits, and health motivation underlying the rider’s mobile phone use while riding intentions and behavior were included in a questionnaire and captured by direct and indirect measurements. Small-displacement motorcycle riders (N = 291) completed the extended TPB based questionnaire. An exploratory factor analysis technique identified the selected factors (e.g., attitude, habit, etc.). Moreover, Structural Equation Modeling results showed moderate to good fits to the observed data. Therefore, the results supported the utilization of extended TPB framework in identifying factors of mobile phone use while riding intention and behavior. Specifically, negative attitude, perceived behavioral control, and mobile phone use while riding habit related to the intention to use a mobile phone while riding of small-displacement motorcyclists. Meanwhile, habit and behavioral intention related to the behavior to use a mobile phone while riding of small-displacement motorcycle riders. Especially, the correlation between behavioral intention and self-reported behavior was very strong. This finding embraced previous research indicating that intention was a major motivational component of behavior. Based on the results, safety intervention implications for small-displacement motorcycle riders were discussed.     

Risky behaviours associated with traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers in Vietnam

Motorcycle taxi services provide an important mobility option for people in developing countries. With the emergence of new transport technologies, app-based motorcycle taxi services have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, little is known about risky driving behaviours and their association with traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers. Through a survey of 602 app-based motorcycle taxi drivers from three cities in Vietnam, this research aimed to investigate the incidence of risky driving behaviours and their association with driver characteristics and traffic crashes. Using a mobile phone while driving was found to be the most common risky driving behaviour (52%) among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers, followed by neglecting to use turn signals (31%), encroaching car lanes (25%), exceeding the speed limit (21%), running red lights (19%) and carrying more than one passenger (17%). In addition, drivers who were students, or those who worked more than 50 h per week, were found to be more likely to engage in risky driving behaviours. Binary logistic regression modelling showed that neglecting to use turn signals, carrying more than one passenger and smoking while driving was significantly associated with self-reported active crash/fall involvement. Turn signal neglect was also associated with active injury crash/fall involvement. The incidence of risky driving behaviours and associated crash involvement was found to be lower among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers compared with regular motorcyclists, yet the findings still highlight the need for ride-hailing firms to deliver improved education and road safety training for their drivers.     

Methodological considerations for longitudinal investigations of young drivers

IntroductionMotor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are the leading cause of mortality among teenagers. Teen driving research has a longstanding history; however, much of this work is cross-sectional. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development funded a study, REACT (Roadway Experiences and Attentional Change in Teens) which combined factorial and longitudinal designs to investigate the independent and joint effects of age and driving experience on driving attention over time among young drivers.MethodLongitudinal methods offer important contributions to teen driving research by enabling characterization of driving trajectories. This paper describes methodological considerations for longitudinal studies of teen drivers. Such considerations are organized into overarching themes, including population, recruitment, enrollment, and retention, throughout this paper. These considerations were compiled as a combination of our own experiences in REACT and previous literature. We elaborate on these considerations below to illustrate the value of each consideration.ResultsIssues encountered are discussed and strategies for dealing with various issues are described. Transportation barriers, scheduling difficulties, and skipped study milestones were among the most frequent challenges; we outline these and other issues encountered in REACT and corresponding considerations for such issues in Table 2. Sharing these experiences should aid future longitudinal investigations of young drivers, which are critically needed to reduce teen MVCs.ConclusionsStudies similar to REACT are considerable undertakings due to the comprehensive nature of longitudinal design. Such investigations must maintain a delicate balance between appropriate amounts of rigor and flexibility in the development of thoroughly defined research questions and theoretically driven frameworks. Key considerations that have contributed to the success of REACT are outlined, challenges encountered throughout data collection are documented, and recommendations based on choices made and lessons learned to inform future longitudinal investigations on young drivers are provided.