SupportingStatement_B_Distraction Ph3_20160112

Part B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

1. Describe potential respondent universe and any sampling selection method to be used.

No statistical methods will be used in selecting test participants.

Selection of test participants will be guided by the sample specifications presented in NHTSA’s Phase 1 Visual-Manual Driver Distraction Guidelines¹:

General Criteria. Each test participant should meet the following general criteria:

a. Be in good general health,

b. Be an active driver with a valid driver’s license,

c. Drive a minimum of 3,000 miles per year,

d. Have experience using a cell phone while driving,

e. Be unfamiliar with the device(s) being tested.

Test Participant Impartiality. Test participants should be impartial with regard to the testing. To ensure fairness, test participants should not have any direct interest, financial or otherwise, in whether any of the devices being tested meets or does not meet the acceptance criteria.

Mix of Ages in Each 24-Participant Sample. Each group of 24 test participants used for testing a particular in-vehicle device task, should contain:

a. Six test participants 18 through 24 years old, inclusive,

b. Six test participants 25 through 39 years old, inclusive,

c. Six test participants 40 through 54 years old, inclusive, and

d. Six test participants 55 years old or older.

Each age range shall contain exactly 3 men and 3 women.

Multiple groups of 24 participants meeting these criteria will be tested to obtain the total required number of test participants.

Information collected pertaining to the above criteria will be solely used to assess individuals’ suitability for study participation and will be obtained using a standard set of demographic, driving behavior, and general health questions developed by NHTSA through an ongoing process.

2. Describe procedures for collecting information, including statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection, estimation procedures, degree of accuracy needed, and less than annual periodic data cycles.

No such statistical methods will be employed.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rate.

Members of the public will be invited to participate in the research study through web-based and print newspaper advertisements. Test participants will be monetarily compensated at an hourly rate of $42.00. Monetary compensation is consistent with normal experimental practice and should encourage study participation.

4. Describe tests of procedures or methods.

The research associated with this ICR is part of a multi-study research effort to develop observational measurement techniques and related task acceptance criteria for auditory-vocal interactions involving electronic devices used by motor vehicle drivers.

The observational methods used in this research include experimentation using driving simulator and visual occlusion apparatus tools, as well as a Detection Response Task (DRT) method. The DRT method to be used is being developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for “measuring the effect of secondary task load on attention while driving for visual-manual, voice-based, or haptic interfaces.” Study participants will perform specific secondary tasks (e.g., dialing a phone number) while driving and their performance and behavior (e.g., eye glance locations and durations) will be recorded.

Upon completion of the simulated driving, participants will be asked a few questions to gauge how they are feeling (i.e., whether the person is experiencing any degree of motion sickness). These questions serve to make sure that participants feel well enough to drive home following their participation, and responses will not be analyzed in any way.

5. Provide name and telephone number of individuals who were consulted on statistical aspects of the IC and who will actually collect and/or analyze the information.

Elizabeth Mazzae, MSE, NHTSA, 937-666-4511

Thomas Ranney, Ph.D., 937-666-4511

1 78 FR 24817 (Apr. 26, 2013), available at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/04/26/2013-09883/visual-manual-nhtsa-driver-distraction-guidelines-for-in-vehicle-electronic-devices.