The Efficacy of a Functional Meta-Cognitive Intervention to Improve Human Factors of Professional Drivers

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
The objective of the study is to examine the effectiveness of a functional-meta-cognitive intervention program to reduce driving risk factors amongst professional bus drivers.

Detailed Description
-----------------
In Israel, the percentage of professional drivers involved in lethal car accidents is high in relation to their number on the roads. Every car accident involving a bus driver could potentially put at risk the lives of tens of passengers, and cause damages both direct and indirect at high costs. Due to the high risk of the bus drivers and their passengers, it is highly important to identify and improve the driving characteristics which are necessary for safer driving of said drivers. Many studies have assessed and identified the risk factors of safe driving, but there is relatively little research-based evidence concerning the ability to improve the driving skills of drivers in general and in particular of bus drivers, which are considered a high risk group. According to the National Road Safety Authority, 88% of road accidents are caused by driver errors. Therefore, the real challenge is to provide a better understanding in the role of human factors in causing road accidents to try and develop a variety of effective interventions to reduce these risk factors. This understanding can contribute both to a better assessment of professional drivers' driving fitness and to intervene accordingly. In this study, we have focused on main aspects that exist in relevant literature and are human risk factors: Cognitive-perceptual, ergonomic and personality risk factors, and checked the connection between these risk factors and actual monitored driving scores as recorder by an In-Vehicle Data Recorder (IVDR). In addition, we examined the effectiveness of a functional-meta-cognitive intervention program designed to increase drivers' awareness to their way of driving. The research model is based on previous driving models and the guiding occupational therapy practice framework model in Israel, while adjusting the model to the professional driving in public transportation line of work and its particular risk factors.

Official Title
-----------------
The Efficacy of a Functional Meta-Cognitive Intervention to Improve Human Factors of Professional Drivers

Conditions
-----------------
Human Risk Factors, Driving Behavior, Meta-cognition

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Functional Meta-Cognitive Intervention
* Behavioral: The employer's training


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: Male gender. Having a valid bus driver's license. Working for a specific large bus company in the center of Israel. Exclusion Criteria: Drivers who had less than 50 hours of IVDR data were excluded.

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 21 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Functional Meta-Cognitive Intervention<br>The intervention is aimed to improve human factors of professional bus drivers | Behavioral: Functional Meta-Cognitive Intervention<br>* Functional-Meta-Cognitive Intervention Program was focused on raising awareness to safe driving risk factors identified at pre-screening, with reference to the difficulties that the driver raises and providing coping strategies. The intervention has been customized for each driver and included three sessions of two hours.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control group<br>The control group had the employer's training - The company holds routine covert inspections, summons to conversations with the security offices and records in the drivers' personal files. | Behavioral: The employer's training<br> <br> |

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in In Vehicle Data Recorder (IVDR) risk score | Assessing the degree of change in the rate of IVDR events before and after intervention. | Change from baseline IVDR risk score at 1 year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in car accident rate | Assessing the change in the rate of accidents per year before and after the intervention in the intervention group. | Change from ratings of questionnaire pre intervention to ratings at an average of 1 year post intervention. | 
| Change in subjective ratings of driving performance questionnaire. | Assessing the change in the subjective ratings of the level of performance and of satisfaction with performance before and after the intervention in the intervention group. | Change from ratings of questionnaire at baseline pre intervention to reratings at an average of 1 year post intervention.. | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
IVDR; driving behavior patterns; Meta-Cognitive Intervention