Background: Reading and typing text messages while driving causes remarkable impairments in driving performance and are prohibited in many jurisdictions. Hong Kong is a bilingual society and many people write in both Chinese and English. As the input methods of Chinese and English vary considerably, this study aimed to examine the effects of reading and typing Chinese and English text messages on driving performance via a driving simulator approach. Method: Experiments were conducted to analyze the differences in reaction time (RT), driving lane undulation (DLU), driving speed fluctuation (DSF) and car-following distance (CFD) between test and leading cars. The driving performance of 26 participants was monitored according to the following conditions: (1) no distraction, (2) reading and typing Chinese text messages and (3) reading and typing English text messages. Results: RT, DLU and DSF were significantly impaired by reading and typing both Chinese and English text messages. Moreover, typing text messages distracted drivers more than reading them. Although the Chinese text messaging input system is more complicated, the languages did not differ significantly in their degree of distraction. Conclusion: Both reading and typing text messages while driving should be prohibited regardless of whether Chinese or English is used.
In Hong Kong, legal limits on the concentration of alcohol permitted in drivers' blood, urine, and breath were introduced in 1995. Later legislation empowered the police to conduct random breath tests (RBTs) without the need for suspicion. Although drink-driving accounts for a relatively small portion of the traffic accidents in Hong Kong, the average killed and seriously injured rate for drink-driving accidents is higher than that for overall traffic accidents. From time to time, there are calls for heavier penalties such as longer prison sentences and driving disqualification periods for drink drivers, particularly those who cause severe injury and death. However, no consensus has been reached on the actual effectiveness of severe penalties in combating drink-driving offenses. In this study, a self-administrated, mail-back questionnaire including six stated preference games was conducted to evaluate drivers' perceptions of the current levels of penalties against drink-driving offenses. The game measured the associations between the propensity to drive after drinking and penalty levels. The results of a mixed logistic regression model revealed that the presence of an RBT checkpoint and an increase in driving-offense points and the durations of licence disqualification and imprisonment correlated positively with an increase in the deterrent effects of measures taken to combat drink driving.
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