Feedback technologies to young drivers

Newly licensed drivers are overrepresented in road crashes, especially during their first months of solo driving. Changes in licensing and development of training programs have addressed this inflated risk with a focus on gradual exposure of young drivers to the various risky driving conditions and circumstances, and training toward improvement of hazard anticipation, hazard mitigation, and attention maintenance. Recent advancements in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) can help young drivers reduce their risks. In this chapter, we focus on feedback technologies that monitor and provide feedback to young drivers and their parents. These systems have been in the market, mostly in research studies and insurance programs, for over a decade. Most studies showed large reductions (over 50%) in safety-related event rates when feedback was provided. However, only one study, yet, managed to show a positive correlation with crash rates of teen drivers. Despite these positive indications regarding safety benefits, feedback systems to young drivers are still far from being widely acknowledged, accepted, and used. Barriers to acceptance and usage from the young drivers' point of view include invasion of privacy and restriction of independence, lack of trust, and fear that the feedback will become an instrument for punishment and limitation of car use. Similarly, parents express concerns related to privacy, parent-young driver relationship, and erosion of trust. This chapter suggests directions to overcome the barriers through improved operation, increased motivation, and incentives. These directions include improving ease of installment, the pay-howyou- drive insurance model, increased parent involvement, incentives, positive positioning of the feedback systems, privacy protection, and legislation. The importance of positive media discourse, as well as the recommendation to install the system prior to the onset of the solo driving, can also contribute to wide acceptance and effective usage. Finally, it is important to note that effective operation of feedback systems requires a sustainable process that incorporates feedback indicating deviations from safe driving behavior of young drivers over time.