2: Research Methods

The purpose of this chapter is to set a level field for all readers, by briefly describing the various methods used in driving and highway safety research. Most – but not all – of the methods and concepts described below should be familiar to anyone with behavioral research background or to an advanced student in the behavioral sciences background. Because the terms are repeatedly used in the following chapters, and some readers may not be familiar with all of them, they are defined here for reference.

Most people feel that they know a lot about driving. I am yet to encounter a taxi driver who does not have a “simple” solution to the “accident problem.” Admittedly, most taxi drivers have extensive experience in driving, and may be more skillful than most non-professional drivers. Yet someone’s personal feeling or idea is not a substitute for good research data. Interestingly, we feel that we can easily tell who is a good and who is a bad driver, who is an aggressive driver and who is a considerate driver, who is a careful and safe driver, and who is a reckless and dangerous driver. Many of us also feel they “know” the reason for most crashes, and what needs to be done (typically by the government) to “fix” the accident problem. Also, at one time or another most people had some formal driving instruction, have read some newspaper articles, or seen a television program about driving, and – most importantly – have been driving.