Smartphone-based Vehicle Telematics for Naturalistic Driving Studies

Abstract

Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are the eighth leading cause of death worldwide. Globally, there are 1.35 million deaths with 50 million injuries annually. It is important to understand and record how people drive and reflect their driving behavior to combat MVCs. To capture driver's reflection, many studies use self-report instruments. The validity of these tools, however, is debatable because respondents may not provide accurate and truthful responses. Naturalistic driving studies is considered a more accurate method in capturing driving behavior for reflection. One particular effective way to achieve this is through telematics data. This study employed a telematics smartphone application to capture the driving behaviors of young drivers in Qatar. The results revealed that majority of drivers engage in unsafe driving behavior. This implies drivers underrate themselves when using self-reporting techniques. The current traffic enforcement system, which includes road cameras and patrol vehicles, is insufficient. The outcomes of this research suggest the usage of telematics to enhance road safety and possible traffic violation identification.