Saving lives starts young: quantifying safe and responsible driving behaviour
This talk will present insights into behavioural features that contribute to safe and responsible driving, based on a large-scale study involving over 300+ learner drivers aged 15–17 years in the UK. The participants completed a structured driving simulator programme involving both overland and city routes with intermittently occurring hazardous situations, as well as scenarios involving simulated visual impairment. The study aimed to investigate driver behaviour in conditions requiring anticipation, hazard perception and rapid decision- making, with a focus on quantifying elements that underpin safe and responsible driving.
The analysis was guided by the ‘National Standard for Driving Cars and Light Vans’ set by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), particularly Unit 2.2, which outlines what a driver must be able to do and understand to operate a vehicle safely and responsibly.
The study focused on three of the four elements: monitoring and responding to information, controlling the velocity of the vehicle, and steering safely. Using a combination of eye-tracking data (e.g., to understand mirror use and visual scanning) and vehicle dynamics (e.g., to analyse pedal use, velocity data), these objective data streams were mapped against the DVSA’s qualitative performance standards.
The behaviour of the learner drivers was then compared to that of emergency service drivers and individuals with advanced driver training to identify distinctive behavioural traits and response strategies. The results highlight the value of data-driven assessments for driver education and training programmes.
Bani Anvari, Chair and Professor of Intelligent Mobility, University College London
Bani Anvari is Chair and Professor of Intelligent Mobility at University College London and a former Turing Fellow at The Alan Turing Institute. Her research focuses on intelligent transport systems, human-machine interaction, and the integration of autonomous vehicles into future mobility.
She leads the Intelligent Mobility Lab (IM@UCL), driving innovation at the intersection of AI, robotics, and mobility.
John Beckford, Visiting Professor, Loughborough University and University College London
John Beckford is a Visiting Professor at both Loughborough University and University College London. As a Trustee of The Under 17 Car Club Charitable Trust, John co-designed the Pathfinder Initiative alongside Trust Chair Paul Silverwood.
This program offers pre-licence driver development for young individuals, aiming to safe driving behaviours from an early age.