The distracting effects of concurrent cell-phone use on driving performance are well-documented. However, as the effects of distraction are not always easily observed (e.g., as in the instance of a "missed" event), many drivers may not believe that the issue is relevant to them. In the current study, 30 participants in China completed driving tasks in a driving simulator with/without a concurrent cell phone task. Following the trial, fifteen of them were shown video-based feedback of their performance (the feedback group). The other 15 participants (the control group) received no feedback. Attitudes towards cell phone use while driving were assessed prior to participation in the simulator study, immediately after receiving feedback, and one-month later. Following feedback, participants provided lower ratings of safety associated with cell-phone use while driving, lower ratings of ease of using a cell phone while driving, higher ratings of their own distractibility, and a decreased intention to use a cell phone while driving in the future relative to the control group. Effects of feedback continued to be observed one month later. Future research should examine whether the effects of feedback observed here are predictive of actual driving behavior. (Author/publisher)
Abstract