Usability Evaluation of a Smart Phone-Based Novice Teen Driver Support System (TDSS)

Status: Complete
Report Date: 04/29/2011

Summary:

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities. A Teen Driver Support System (TDSS) was developed by the ITS Institute that can allow parents to accurately monitor their teen's driving behavior in relation to known risk factors and Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) provisions. The TDSS, based on a teen's smart phone, provides real-time, contextual in-vehicle feedback to the teen about his or her driving behavior and helps parents monitor certain known risk factors. A usability review of the prototype TDSS using 30 parent-teen dyads from Washington Country, MN, found that teens and parents held favorable opinions about most of the TDSS functions.

Final Deliverables:

Related Materials:

Driving too fast? Your cell phone will text your mom - (News/Publication Article)
Tattle app: U of M's phone app warns parents about risky teen driving - (News/Publication Article)
App developed at University of Minnesota alerts teens, parents to risky driving - (News/Publication Article)
U Develops Smart Phone App For Teen Drivers - (News/Publication Article)
U of M device texts parents when teen drivers misbehave - (News/Publication Article)
Teen Driver Support System Helps Reduce Risky Driving Behavior - (Blog Post)

Research & Innovation