The Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) has said that it would test interactive situational awareness videos that it might incorporate into scooter and motorcycle license tests.
The agency said that some of the videos are scheduled for release late this month on its Web site, adding that such interactive media could become part of standard license tests in the second half of next year.
Interactive video is a potentially useful tool for driver’s education to address the nation’s chronically high rate of accidents involving scooters and motorcycles, agency Director-General Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) said.
Many accidents are likely caused by the inadequate situational awareness and defensive driving skills of Taiwanese motorists, who are deficient in the two areas, despite being good technical riders, he said.
The videos portray situations on the road from the rider’s point of view and subjects are asked to press a button as soon as they see something dangerous happening onscreen, which tests alertness and reaction time, Chen said.
Scenarios include a ball suddenly bouncing across the scooter’s path, a child running into the middle of the road and a car in front turning or changing lanes abruptly, he said.
The agency is producing 20 videos using practical effects, not computer-generated graphics, Chen said, adding that the first clips are to be released on the agency’s Web site as a trial.
The agency is to collect data from people who voluntarily participate in the interactive road tests as it adds more videos and increases functionality, such as creating a mobile version, he said, adding that competitions with prizes are being planned.
It would use the interactive videos for license tests should the trial prove successful, he added.
The plan is to make responding to danger within five seconds a condition for passing a driver’s test, agency official Wei Wu-sheng (魏武盛) said.
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