Keywords

Driving Performance, Driver Distraction, Driving Experience, Hazard Perception

Abstract

This research included two studies that examined the roles of nomophobia, driving experience, distraction presence, and hazard presence on driving behavior. In Study 1, a hazard perception task was used to assess participants’ hazard perception accuracy rate and reaction time. Results showed that novice drivers displayed significantly higher levels of nomophobia and lower self-efficacy scores, divided attention, and working memory scores compared to their experienced counterparts. Furthermore, the results also showed that novice drivers reported faster reaction times to hazards, which may be associated with poor impulse control as previously reported in the literature. Study 2 was conducted to further examine these effects in a series of simulated driving scenarios. Drivers completed 4 simulated driving tasks consisting of driving in the presence or absence of distraction and hazards, where driving performance and cognitive workload were assessed. Results showed that Hazard presence significantly degraded participants’ driving performance and increased cognitive workload. Similarly, participants exhibited significantly lower levels of vehicle control when distracted, especially among novice drivers. Interestingly, nomophobia had a moderating effect on the relationship between distraction and driving performance, particularly regarding speed variability and peak steering modulation. The social-ecological framework, examined for its predictive utility on driver performance metrics and hazard perception ability, showed merit in multiple domains. Across both studies, individual-level factors emerged as the strongest predictors. At the same time, policy and social norm variables exhibited weaker and more context-dependent effects. Specifically, cognitive failures proved to be a consistent positive predictor of inhibited driving performance. Finally, these findings also highlight the need for targeted interventions that address cognitive lapses and smartphone dependency while driving, increase public awareness about the danger of distracted driving, and enhance public health and traffic safety.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Mustapha Mouloua

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029514

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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