Characterizing Technology Impacts on Driving Behaviors, Crash Risks, and Infrastructure Performances
Abstract
**Please note that the full text is embargoed until 02/01/2026** In recent years, an increase in driver distraction appears due to the rise in smartphone usage and
the introduction of social media. Researchers put significant efforts in examining the impacts of
distracted driving, mostly focused on distraction like texting or phone call. However, scant
research exists to identify the underlying factors causing the distracted driving particularly caused
by social media or showing their safety implications at complex geometries such as intersections
and highways. This dissertation offers three independent studies reviewing the impact of
technology on drivers' actions using field tests and simulation experiments. The first field tests
conducted at three Texas intersections revealed that cell phones are the primary cause of most
distractions, resulting in up to 6.6 second of lost time. The second paper uses machine learning
classifiers to identify various distractions based on driving behaviors. The resulting behavioral
analysis also indicates that social media distractions significantly impact drivers' angular and
lateral patterns. Among the different models, the Multi-Layer Perception classifiers demonstrated
a strong capacity for detection, achieving over 75% accuracy. The third chapter examined the
relationship between distracted driving and risky driving practices, showing that more engaging
social media activities like watching videos can lead to more lateral driving errors. In addition,
GPS poses a greater risk than less-engaging social media activities like checking feeds.
Demographic factors also play an important role in causing particular actions, for example, lower
income women tend to keep shorter headways when they engage in social media activities. This
dissertation offers valuable insights into behavioral attributes of distracted driving patterns, paving
the way for targeted interventions and countermeasures to mitigate the risks associated with
distracted driving caused by social media.