The influence of sensation-seeking on the use of In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVIS)

The research described in this thesis investigated the impact of sensation seeking on the use of in-vehicle information systems (IVIS). Four self-contained, but linked experiments explored the prevalence of sensation seeking, the impact on driving in a dual task scenario and in comparison with alcohol impairment. Overall, results indicate that sensation seeking has a significant effect on participant's performance of the driving task and in particular under dual task conditions. The significance of these findings with respect to system assessment, policy development and recommendations for the design of experiments are discussed. [Continues.]