Impacts of Advanced Vehicle Technologies and Risk Attitudes on Distracted Driving Behaviors

Despite concerns over distracted driving, many Americans still engage in risky activities while driving, leading to crashes and fatal outcomes. This study aims to investigate the impact of individual risk attitudes and in-vehicle technologies on various types of distracted driving behaviors (DDB), providing insights into the factors that contribute to an increased likelihood of DDB and enhancing an understanding of the effects of advanced vehicle technologies (AVT) on driver behavior. The analysis leverages self-reported survey questionnaire data from a nationally representative sample of participants. To assess the relationships between the variables, exploratory factor analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used. The findings revealed that the presence of AVT and individual risk attitudes each predicted DDB. The presence of driver-assist and safety features did, however, lead to some degree of decreased distracted driving. Convenience features, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, were most likely to increase DDB, highlighting the need for the design of AVT systems to minimize distracted driving while leveraging the benefits of technology. The data also indicate that other factors affect DDB. Notably, younger individuals engaged in more DDB compared with older individuals, and individuals who drive more frequently and for longer distances also exhibited a higher frequency of DDB. Factors such as driving experience and exposure also affected DDB, with driving exposure having a more substantial influence.