Backing collisions: a study of drivers’eye and backing behaviour using combined rear-view camera and sensor systems

摘要

Context Backing crash injures can be severe;rnapproximately 200 of the 2,500 reported injuries of thisrntype per year to children under the age of 15 years resultrnin death. Technology for assisting drivers when backingrnhas limited success in preventing backing crashes.rnObjectives Two questions are addressed: Why is thernreduction in backing crashes moderate when rear-viewrncameras are deployed? Could rear-view camerasrnaugment sensor systems?rnDesign 46 drivers (36 experimental, 10 control)rncompleted 16 parking trials over 2 days (eight trials perrnday). Experimental participants were provided withrna sensor camera system, controls were not. Three crashrnscenarios were introduced.rnSetting Parking facility at UMass Amherst, USA.rnSubjects 46 drivers (33 men, 13 women) average agern29 years, who were Massachusetts residents licensedrnwithin the USA for an average of 9.3 years.rnInterventions Vehicles equipped with a rear-viewrncamera and sensor system-based parking aid.rnMain Outcome Measures Subject’s eye fixations whilerndriving and researcher’s observation of collision withrnobjects during backing.rnResults Only 20% of drivers looked at the rear-viewrncamera before backing, and 88% of those did not crash.rnOf those who did not look at the rear-view camerarnbefore backing, 46% looked after the sensor warned therndriver.rnConclusions This study indicates that drivers not onlyrnattend to an audible warning, but will look at a rear-viewrncamera if available. Evidence suggests that when usedrnappropriately, rear-view cameras can mitigate thernoccurrence of backing crashes, particularly when pairedrnwith an appropriate sensor system.