Driving Research
About the Driving Research Group
The Department of Integrated Systems has an international reputation for its expertise, research and consultancy in safety critical industries. For over three decades the Department has conducted research and provided solutions to industry in the field of human factors in all areas of transport safety. The Department also has a worldwide reputation for its teaching in complex, high value and safety critical industries and has run the world’s first MSc in Driver Behaviour since 2008. The Department also undertakes projects with organisations that need to ensure the highest level of safety amongst their workforce.
Within the Department, and headed by Dr Lisa Dorn, the Driving Research Group (DRG) currently has two dedicated staff and two associate members. Dr Dorn has 25 years’ experience in the area and is currently President-Elect of the International Association of Applied Psychologists (IAAP) - Traffic and Transportation Psychology division. Dr Mark Sullman joined the group in 2011 and is on the Editorial Advisory Board for Transportation Research – Traffic Psychology and Behaviour and is the European Representative for the Traffic and Transportation Psychology (Division 13 of IAAP).
In 2003 the DRG established the International Conference in Driver Behaviour and Training (ICDBT) and the fifth event was hosted in Paris in 2011, attracting a high calibre of speakers from many academic institutions and road safety groups around the world. In 2009 the DRG won the prestigious KTP Award for Best Application of Management or Social Science.
The DRG is unique in its application of scientific research and knowledge to a wide variety of driver behaviour, education and training issues in the design and development of interventions for high-risk road users. The DRG has a wealth of knowledge and experience spanning over 23 years in the field. Particular DRG strengths are the measurement of the psychological factors that influence driver behaviour and the development of effective interventions to ameliorate risk and help fleet-based companies with their driver risk management strategies.
A key component of the DRG activities is the Cranfield trading company DriverMetrics, which was set up to utilise scientific research in the development of psychometrically-based driver risk assessments, tailored to the needs of drivers at work. The Driver Risk Index™ is used to identify driver-coaching and training needs to mitigate identified risk. Research underpinning the development of the assessment began in 1985 and over 50 peer-reviewed academic papers have been published to validate its profiles. The Driver Risk Index™ has been translated into 15 languages and is in use in over 20 countries, particularly in Central and South America, the Middle East, Africa, Central and South East Asia, and the Far East. Regional benchmarks have been established to ensure the accuracy of the assessment within different driving cultures globally. DriverMetrics is working with major multinationals and is providing guidance for companies with a global presence.
