Motor vehicle crashes are a prominent and distressing cause of fatalities in the United States and globally. Addressing this issue, the integration of Partially Automated in-vehicle technologies, notably Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), emerges as a promising avenue for enhancing safety on highways. These systems become even more critical to older adult drivers, who face increased risks of fatality and crashes due to age-related declines in physical, health, and cognitive abilities. ADAS has the potential to decrease the sensory cognitive load of the driving task, and many automated safety features can decrease crash severity. The ADAS vary widely in complexity and scope which can mainly be classified into three major groups: collision warning, collision intervention, and driving control assistance. Several researchers have investigated these in-vehicle technologies to learn older drivers’ perceptions of safety and interaction with the ADAS. However, little is known about the role of these technologies and their impact on crash injuries. It will be beneficial to the community to understand the role of ADAS technologies in the safe mobility of drivers in rural areas. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of ADAS technologies on the safety of rural areas stratified with age groups. The research team will use crash data and vehicle specifics to identify existing technologies on the vehicles involved in crashes. The research team will use crash data in Ohio as a case study for this project. Rigorous statistical models will be used to understand therole of ADAS technologies in safety. The findings from this research will shed light on the effective ADAS technologies that significantly reduce crashes and injuries of different road users and age groups in rural areas. This project willcontribute toward a safe system, particularly on safe vehicle components.
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