Users' acceptance of private automated vehicles: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

This research systematically reviewed relevant studies on users' acceptance of conditional (Level 3) to full (Level 5) automated vehicles when such vehicles are to be used privately (herein referred to as 'private automated vehicles or private AVs).

METHOD

The search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, and was undertaken in three databases: APA PsycINFO, Transport Research International Documentation, and Web of Science. Articles were required to focus on individuals' acceptance of private SAE Level 3-5 AVs. Acceptance was defined as individuals' attitudes towards or intentions and/or willingness to use AVs in the future. A total of 2,354 articles were identified in the database search. Thirty-five articles were included in the review, six of which included multiple studies and/or comparison groups.

RESULTS

Most studies (n = 31) applied self-reported measures to assess user acceptance together with a range of psychosocial factors predicting such acceptance. The meta-analytic correlations revealed that perceived behavioral control, perceived benefits/usefulness, perceived ease of use, and subjective/social norms had significant positive pooled relationships with attitudes and intentions. Trust and sensation seeking also had significant positive pooled correlations with intentions, while knowledge of AVs had a significant and negative pooled correlation with intentions. Age did not show any significant pooled relationship with attitudes, intentions, or willingness.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings obtained from the systematic review and meta-analysis provide support for psychosocial models to aid understanding of users' acceptance of private AVs. Practical applications: Examining acceptance of AVs after participants have experienced these vehicles on closed tracks or open roads would advance contemporary knowledge of users' intentions to use these vehicles in the future. Further, experiencing these vehicles firsthand may also help with addressing any perceived barriers reducing acceptance of future use of private AVs.

Parenting style, young driver compliance and the imposition of additional driving restrictions within graduated driver licensing systems

Provisional (or intermediate) drivers do not always comply with graduated driver licensing restrictions and road laws. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of parenting style on young driver compliance with licensing restrictions. Two surveys, the first a sample of parents of provisionally licensed drivers (n = 101) from Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory (Australia), while the second, and separate sample, was of provisionally licensed drivers (n = 132) from Queensland. A series of regression analyses identified that parents who reported higher levels of control were more likely to feel responsible for their child's driving and to have a child that complied with licensing restrictions. Parents who reported higher levels of support were more likely to offer their child practical assistance in order to help them to comply with licensing restrictions. Young drivers who reported that their parents had higher levels of control were more likely to indicate that they complied with restrictions. Given that parenting style appears to influence provisional driver compliance with licensing requirements, there may be an opportunity to develop interventions to enhance compliance.

Continuity of care for patients with chronic conditions from rural or remote Australia: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To identify the barriers and facilitators of achieving continuity of care between health services for patients with chronic conditions living in regional, rural and remote Australia.

DESIGN

A systematic literature review of peer-reviewed journal publications between January 1990 and April 2018.

SETTING

Publications were sourced from medical and scientific databases, including: PubMed; Embase; OvidSP; ProQuest research library; and ScienceDirect.

PARTICIPANTS

Studies, involving two groups, were included in the review: (a) Australian adults, residing in non-metropolitan areas with a chronic condition, who accessed health care services; and (b) health care service providers (eg, doctors) who provided care to non-metropolitan patients.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Facilitators and barriers of continuity of care for non-metropolitan patients with a chronic condition.

RESULTS

Initially, 536 studies were included in the review. Of these, 12 studies were found to have met the eligibility criteria and were included in the final analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Coordination of health care services for non-metropolitan patients with chronic conditions substantially improves the outcomes for patients. Overall, communication, availability of resources and location are the major barriers and facilitators to continuity of care, depending on how they are managed. Recommendations have been provided to assist practitioners and policy-makers to improve the experience of shared care and health outcomes for non-metropolitan patients.

Factors influencing noncompliance with bicycle passing distance laws

Many jurisdictions around the world have implemented laws to require a minimum distance when motor vehicles pass cyclists, but research into the factors influencing passing distances has produced inconsistent results, indicating the need for future research. This study examined the factors influencing motorists' compliance with a legislated bicycle passing distance rule in Queensland, Australia. Unlike the earlier studies, which used volunteer riders to record passing events, this study used a naturalistic study design to record passing events where none of the motorists or the cyclists were aware of being studied. As a result, this study captured the 'true' driving and riding behaviours during passing events. The likelihood of non-compliance was greater on higher (70-80 km/h speed limits) and lower (40 km/h) speed roads than 60 km/h roads, at curved road sections, and on roads with narrower traffic lanes. Rider characteristics (age, gender, helmet status, type of clothing, type of bicycle, and individual or group riding) had no statistically significant association with compliance status. The findings indicate that efforts to improve cyclist safety during overtaking events should focus on non-rider related factors, such as roadway infrastructure characteristics.

Thrill and adventure seeking in risky driving at work: The moderating role of safety climate

Introduction Within many industrialized countries, the leading cause of worker fatalities and serious injuries can be attributed to road trauma. In non-occupational research, high levels of sensation seeking personality, and specifically thrill and adventure seeking, have been associated with risky driving behaviors. In work driving literature, high organizational safety climate has been associated with reduced risky driving in work drivers. However, the extent that factors such as safety climate and thrill seeking interact in regard to work driving safety remains unclear, and the current research examined this interaction. Methods A total of 1,011 work drivers from four organizations participated in the research. Surveys were distributed online and hardcopies were sent via mail. The survey included measures of thrill and adventure seeking, safety climate and work-related driving behaviors, as well as questions relating to participant demographics and information about their work driving. Results The results demonstrated that safety climate significantly moderated the effect of thrill and adventure seeking trait on driving errors, driving violations, and driving while fatigued. Conclusion These results suggest that the development of a strong safety climate has the potential to improve work driving safety outcomes by reducing the impact of particular personality traits such as thrill seeking within an organizational context. Practical application To improve work driving safety, organizations and management need to develop strategies to encourage and foster positive work driving safety climate, particularly within work settings that may attract thrill and adventure seeking employees.