Frustration on the road: reasons and coping strategies

Abstract

Background: experiencing frustration on the road might affect relevant cognitive processes, can result in aggressive behavior, and hence may negatively influence driving performance and so traffic safety. Frustration is triggered when goal-directed behavior is blocked, which frequently occurs during driving, e.g., due to construction sites, dense traffic or malfunctioning infotainment systems. While ample of research has investigated the effects of frustration on behavior or has studied potential indicators for estimating the driver’s current level of frustration, so far no study has systematically examined reasons for frustration behind the wheel. Furthermore, drivers’ current everyday coping strategies when experiencing frustration are yet to be assessed as well as potential accepted in-vehicle assistance systems helping to mitigate drivers’ frustration experiences. Method: in order to explore reasons for frustration experiences and coping strategies with frustration while driving, six focus groups with 32 participants in total (12 female, age range: 19 – 74 years) were conducted. Participants were asked to report and discuss frustrating situations on the road as well as their coping strategies. In addition, they had to imagine how in-vehicle assistance systems may support the regulation. Participants of each group then rated mentioned situations for intensity and strategies for helpfulness, respectively. Results: the situations leading to frustration during driving are traffic (63.3%), in-car situations (13.1%), self-inflicted reasons (11.2%), weather (7.5%), and others (4.7%). As usual coping strategies, ‘cursing’ was mentioned most often, but was rated as least helpful. In contrast, e.g., ‘distraction by media’ was often rated as helpful, depending on the concrete situation. Regarding in-vehicle assistance, systems were mentioned providing traffic-related information (e.g., available parking space), comfort, or cognitive change. Conclusions: results of this study may help to better understand reasons of drivers’ frustration experiences on the road and at the same time they might provide guidance both for driver’s awareness and self-mitigation of frustration. Additionally, this user-centered approach can help to draft and further explore potential interventions by future assistance systems to reduce drivers’ frustration experiences and hence to improve both user experience and road safety.