Project Need and Approach
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding has contributed to about one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities over the past two decades. Beyond breaking the law, speeding increases the risk of losing control, failing to stop in time, and suffering more severe injuries in a crash. It can also reduce the effectiveness of occupant protection equipment. While speeding endangers all drivers, recent studies focus on young drivers, including teens and young adults. NHTSA has identified speeding as a critical safety issue for teenage drivers. For instance, a 2021 Governors Highway Safety Association study found that teens (16–19) had a higher proportion of speeding-related fatalities than any other age group.
To address these concerns, a Texas A&M Transportation Institute Center for Transportation Safety project team completed several research tasks focused on drivers aged 16–24. A key task was developing a safety brochure and an augmented reality (AR)-adapted mobile application to engage young drivers and educate them on speeding dangers. The team designed scripts and scenarios for the AR app based on a safety assessment of Texas crashes involving drivers 16–24. The dataset, obtained from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information System, included crashes from 2018 to 2022 where speed-related factors contributed to at least one vehicle’s crash.
Project Activities
The primary achievement of this project was the development of the Speeding AR mobile application, designed to educate young drivers about the dangers of speeding and its impact on vehicle damage through AR. The app simulates a driving course where users can select speeds (35, 40, 45, or 50 mph) and navigate a Texas-themed route. Users are challenged to avoid crashing while adjusting to changing speed limits and road curves. Upon crashing, the app animates the collision and shows the damage to the vehicle at various speeds. Users can then inspect a three-dimensional model of the crashed car in AR mode, which highlights the damage and provides statistics on speeding.
To promote the app, the project team distributed flyers with quick-response codes linking to the app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, along with educational materials to youth organizations. The app was also featured in newsletters such as Teens in the Driver Seat and U in the Driver Seat and promoted through social media channels such as Facebook and LinkedIn. From August 31 to September 23, 2024, the app garnered 72 impressions on Facebook and 821 impressions, 10 reactions and 35 link clicks on LinkedIn.
Benefits to Texas Transportation Safety
The project team designed an AR-adapted mobile application to help young drivers understand the risks of speeding. The concurrent safety assessment performed by the project team helped guide the design of the mobile application, while the outreach events assisted in promoting it and allowed researchers to share other crucial safety information pertinent to speed-related crashes with young drivers. By providing an interactive, mobile tool, the project team anticipates that younger drivers will be highly receptive and understand the full risks of speeding.
Project Title: Traffic Safety Improvement of Speeding-Related Crashes Involving Drivers Aged 16-24
Project Start and End Dates: October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024
Author List: Myunghoon Ko
Sponsor/Funding Source: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)