Instructor’s Rating of Driver’s Performance during an Anti-Lock Braking Exercise on a Closed-Road Course

Rear-end crashes are a common crash scenario, which contribute to many traffic related injuries and fatalities. A performance driving center offers adult car control classes focused on defensive driving skills, which include both classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction on a closed-road course. One focus of the class is activation of the anti-lock braking system (ABS), which was designed to help drivers during emergency braking situations. In the classroom, participants learn what ABS is as well as how and when it functions. On the closed-road course, participants learn how to activate ABS and how the system feels when it is activated. The goal of this study was to understand how knowledge of and experience with ABS prior to the class relates to a driver’s ability to activate ABS. The participants’ ability to activate ABS was evaluated by the driving instructor using a behaviorally anchored rating scale. Participants completed a survey before and after the class to gain knowledge of and experience with ABS. The results of the study showed that participants who previously knew what ABS felt like or had prior practice/training activating ABS performed significantly better activating ABS than those who simply knew what ABS means or had previously experienced ABS activation during their first of multiple attempts.