title: Potential benefits and costs of concurrent task engagement to maintain vigilance: a driving simulator investigation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate the nature of concurrent task interference during a vigilance task and to determine whether a concurrent task improves performance with decreased vigilance.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Research has repeatedly shown that engaging in a cell phone conversation while driving increases the risk of getting into crashes. At the same time, it has also been found that task monotony could lead to an increase in crash risk. There is evidence that suggests that engaging in a concurrent task reduces the effects of monotony, leading to an improvement in vigilance task performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A monotonous drive in a driving simulator was used to investigate the effects of a concurrent verbal task. Three task conditions were used: no verbal task, continuous verbal task, and late verbal task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When engaged in a secondary verbal task, drivers showed improved lane-keeping performance and steering control when vigilance was lowest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A strategically placed concurrent task can improve performance when vigilance is at its lowest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is potential for the design of a countermeasure system that can be strategically activated by an automated system monitoring driver performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA. patchley@ku.edu
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Atchley
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D055815:Young Adult