Impact case study database

Road traffic collisions are the 8th leading cause of global death and are predicted to rise to the 5th leading cause by 2030. Though Great Britain is considered one of the safest countries for driving, there were still 1,752 fatalities in 2018-19 and nearly 26,000 serious injuries. Two driver groups are of particular concern: young drivers who are over-represented in collisions (3x more likely to have a crash than older drivers), and commercial drivers (involved in approximately 30% of fatal collisions). These data contextualise the need for better training and assessment of hazard avoidance skills, acknowledged to be a leading cause of such collisions.

NTU’s impact has been to change the paradigms and resources used to train and assess the hazard avoidance skills of various categories of road user, developing and promulgating evidence-based techniques with the aim of a longer-term impact on collision statistics.

In regard to impact on learner driver hazard assessment and training, TSO (formally The Stationary Office) asked Crundall to contribute to the Learner Driver DVD [ S1; see Section 5], which is sold nationwide as a resource for drivers preparing to take their test. Based on their work in hazard perception, Crundall and Groeger were then funded by the Department for Transport to develop a novel abs innovative hazard perception test [ S2, R5].The report recommended (1) longer and more complex hazard clips; and (2) combining theory knowledge and hazard awareness in a single test, (3) introducing hazard prediction clips into a future test. Based on these results [and R2-6], Crundall was called to advise the DVSA (UK), and their counterparts in Ireland (The Road Safety Authority) and the Netherlands (the Centraal Bureau Rijvaardigheidsbewijzen). The RSA is pushing forwards with a hazard test, based primarily on Crundall’s data [ S3, R2-6]. The CBR were already planning a national hazard perception test, but they have changed this to a hazard prediction test based on evidence presented by Crundall [ S4, R2-5]. Meanwhile, in the UK, the importance of our research to UK national test development is acknowledged in the Government’s 2019 Road Safety Statement [ S5, section 2.32]. Most recently, externally-funded research has allowed the release of an Oculus app designed for learner drivers entitled ‘Hazard Perception VR’. Launched in November 2020 it has been well received by users and has received media coverage from road safety outlets [ S6].

The second target impact group was professional drivers. Crundall and Brunsden were funded to develop a hazard perception test for fire-appliance drivers by the Fire Service Research and Training Trust, leading to three publications (R2/R6/Kroll and Crundall, 2019). The award-winning resources (FIRE Magazine 2017) are now being used by Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) to train new and existing fire drivers [ S7] and have been made available nationally via testmydriving.com. A recent NFRS update includes positive feedback from their trainers including, “The “What happens next” section is good for drivers at all stages in their development and encourages them to re-examine their perceptions of everyday driving hazards” [ S7]. On the strength of the products produced by these research projects, East Midlands Ambulance Service have recently asked us to create a series of bespoke tests to support their ambulance drivers.

In the field of commercial van drivers, Human Focus International has licensed our driver hazard perception tests for use with van driver fleets. They have spent 12 months developing the software platform to deliver the test (based completely on NTU assets), with an October 2020 launch. Though the pandemic has delayed roll-out of this tool to commercial clients, Human Focus have recently attracted their first major client for this tool (a large aggregates company with over 3000 vehicles). They report that “ the research work that you and your team have undertaken to validate this hazard prediction test format, and the provision of your video clips, has enabled us to develop an evidence-based test for our clients which has been a game changer – both for our company and the market more generally” [ S8].

Finally, Crundall was asked to help develop a VR hazard prediction training tool for 25,000 London bus drivers on behalf of Transport for London. Working with STEPS Drama (a London-based training company), Crundall designed the VR assessment and training package, building on NTU published outputs [ R1-6] and new insights from recently funded VR research (see Section 2). Entitled Destination Zero, the training package was commissioned as part of the Mayor of London’s drive towards ‘Vision zero’ with the aim of zero bus-related fatalities by 2030. Though the pandemic paused training (with only 7000 out of 25,000 drivers trained so far), the feedback from trainers and trainees was very positive [ S9]. The Operator Staff Development Manager at TfL noted ,

“The work of Professor Crundall and colleagues has been instrumental in guiding the development of our training…” and,

“*The course has proved very impactful for drivers and trainers and we hope it will contribute to a reduction in accidents and injuries.*”

Despite a COVID-related delay in an independent assessment of training effectiveness (by TRL), TfL are engaged in continuous evaluation to identify training benefit [ S10].

The success of the impact to date resulted in the creation of a spinout company in July 2020, funded by £166k from Innovate UK (won in March 2020 through their ICURE competition) and a further £100k investment from NTU. With one full-time employee and two part-time employees, the company aims to commercialise the research assets and knowhow developed by the group [ S11].