Citation

Fastenmeier W, Gstalter H. Safety Sci. 2007; 45(9): 952-979.

Affiliation

Institute for Applied Psychology, K�niginstr. 47, D-80539 M�nchen, Germany

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ssci.2006.08.023

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The paper explains the need for task analysis in the context of car driving, because the interaction between the car drivers` capabilities and the demands of the actual driving task determines the outcome in terms of a more or less safe driving behaviour. After reviewing past approaches, the main focus is on the presentation of a new procedure for driving task analysis and driver requirement assessment (SAFE: Situative Anforderungsanalyse von Fahraufgaben). A framework for task analysis is derived both from classifications of road traffic situations and a model of the drivers' information processing. The first step of the procedure is to divide a given driving task into subtasks. These subtasks are appointed to defined stretches of the road and the time structure of the subtasks is determined. For each subtask an analysis format is used, that organizes different requirements into perception, expectation, judgement, memory, decision and driver action. Then, typical driver errors are attached to the subtasks, and all the information together is compressed to ratings of complexity and risk in order to derive the crucial subtasks. Finally, some examples of how the method can be applied are presented and its future usefulness is discussed.