The Effect of Mobile Phone Use, Traffic Environment, and the Interaction on Driving Performance of Adult Drivers: Empirical Findings from 22 Factorial Design Simulation

Abstract

The conventional belief that mobile phone usage adversely affects driving performance, particularly through driver distraction leading to accidents, underscores the importance of understanding its impact within the context of varying traffic environments. This study aims to investigate the individual and interactive effects of mobile phone use and traffic environment on driving performance. Two distinct experiments were conducted in a simulated driving environment, employing a 22 factorial design to examine these factors. Mobile phone use was assessed in both hands-free and hand-held modes, while traffic environments comprised rural and urban routes. Driving performance was evaluated using four measures: driver mental workload, error frequency, average speed, and lateral position changes. Our findings reveal that mobile phone use significantly affects all performance measures, while traffic environment predominantly influences average speed and lateral position changes. Specifically, both hands-free and hand-held modes are statistically significant in influencing mental workload. Additionally, the interaction between traffic environment and hand-held phone use notably affects error frequency. These results provide insights into the complex interplay between mobile phone use, traffic conditions, and driving performance.