Deaf and Hard-of -Hearing Drivers: Making the Highways Safer for Everyone

U.S. Transportation Collection2019PDFTech ReportGordon, Martin ERochester Institute of TechnologyCity University of New York. University Transportation Research CenterUnited States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) ProgramNew York (N.Y.). Dept. of TransportationCity College of New York. University Transportation Research CenterUnited StatesDeaf personsDriversDriving simulatorsEducationHearing impaired personsHighway safetyRisk analysisTechnological innovationsCrash avoidance systemshard-of-hearingaccident avoidance49198-30-28Final, Sept. 1, 2016- December 16, 2019One of the primary goals of USDOT is to make the U.S. transportation system the safest In the world. In order to fulfill this goal, it is important to understand how to improve highway safety for all users \u2013 including those users that may have different sensory inputs than the general population. In fact, some highway users belong to groups with special needs that have not been studied previously. The purpose of this research was to initiate collection of knowledge regarding deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) drivers. The intention of this research was to better understand the mechanisms and situations that may cause increased risk in the D/HH driving community and then use this information to create technologies and educational programs to mitigate the risk. The research methodology was to use the creation of a realistic, virtual driving simulation to compare the reactions of deaf drivers to hearing drivers in specific situations where sound might play a critical role in accident avoidance. It also intended to use the simulation to compare the reactions of deaf drivers to hearing drivers in specific situations where vision might play a critical role in traffic avoidance.105