A survey of contemporary techniques pertinent to the selection and testing of motor vehicle operators

167 Pages·07.63 MB·English

by  Di Meo, Frank G

A SURVEY. OF CONTEMPORARY TECHNIQUES PERTINENT
TO THE SELECTION AND TESTING OF
MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATORS
A Thesis
Presented to
the Faculty of the College of Commerce
and Business Administration
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Business Administration
by
Major Frank G* Di Meo
United States Army
August 1950
UMI Number: EP43292
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED...........1
The problem • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . . 2
Statement of the problem. • • . • • • • • • • • 2
Limitation of the study • • • • • • • • • • • • 2
Importance of the study • • • • • • ......... 2
Definitions of terms used • • • • • • • . • • • • 5
Organization of remainder of the thesis • • • . • • 7
II. HISTORICAL REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Characteristics of earlier studies. . . . . . . 15
Assumptions made in early studies * • • • • • • 15
Recent developments • , • . . . • . • • • . . . 1 7
III. PROCEDURE IN THE SELECTION OF DRIVERS . . . . . . . 19
Preliminary selection phases. • • . . . • • • . . 1 9
Job analysis. • • • . • • • • • * • • . • • . . 1 9
Accident record . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Application form. • • • • • • • . • • • • . • • 2 2
Reference and telephone check . • 2b
How to obtain results by telephone. . . . . . . 26
Subject matter covered in the telephone check • 26
The planned interview • • • . • • • • • • • • . 2 7
Purpose of the planned interview. . . . . . . . 28
Conducting the planned interview. . . . . . . . 29
Effectiveness of the planned interview. . . . . 29
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iv
CHAPTER PAGE
Physical examination • . . • ........... * . • 32
Testing phases ............. • • • • • • • • . . 33
Attitude measurement . . • « . • • . • • • • . 3b
Knowledge test of traffic and driving.......... 36
Reliability of the test. ............. 37
Road test. . « • • • . . . . » . « • . • • • * 38
Requirements of a good road test ......... 38
Types of road tests.......... • « • • • • • • 39
Limitations of road tests. ......... bO
IV. PSYCHOPHYSICAL TESTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b2
Physical characteristics measured and nature of
the tests. b2
Visual acuity or clearness of vision . . . . . **3
Field of vision. .......... b5
Night vision • • • • • • • • • • . • • . . . . b6
Color vision • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • **8
Depth perception . . . ........ . . . . . . . 50
Eye dominance. .............. 50
Hearing. . . . . . . . ........ • • • • • • • 51
Steadiness . . • • • • . • • • .......... •• 52
Strength • • • • • • • 52
Reaction time. . • . . . • • • • • • • • • • • 53
Application of psychophysical tests. • • • • * • 55
Factors influencing psychophysical testing . . . 58
V
CHAPTER PAGE
V. PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS . ......... . . . . ........ 60
General background. 60
Ruch-Wilson safe driver selection system. . . . 63
Important characteristics measured by the
tests • 6b
Development of the tests. 65
Los Angeles police department • • • • • . . 66
Carnation Company . . . . .. .. • • • • . 67
The tests and the cost of accidents • • • • 71
Second police department study. • • • • • • 73
The relation of test scores to other factors of
safety. • • • • • • • . • • • •• 75
Conclusions • • • • . . . . • • • • • • • • • • 78
VI. AN EVALUATION OF DRIVER TEST SCORES IN RELATION
TO ACCIDENTS SUSTAINED. . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Test results of 3>663 Connecticut drivers . . * 81
Nature of the tests • • • • • • • • • • • . . 82
Correlation between the tests and the acci­
dent rate • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 82
Comments on the tests . . . * . . * • • • * • 83
American Automobile Association tests adminis­
tered to 7,000 drivers in the east. • • • • • 85
Nature of the tests used. . . . • • • • • • • 85
Relationship of tests scores to accident
records ♦ 88
vi
CHAPTER PAGE
Tests administered by Los Angeles Motor Goaeh
Lines . ......... • 90
Nature of the tests used* • » • • • • • • • • 90
Results of the tests* * • • • « * • • • • • • 91
¥11. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS . * . 93
Summary • • • • « • • • • • • • • * * 93
Conclusions • • • • * • • • • • 101
BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................... 109
APPENDICES ......................... 113
APPENDIX A. The White Motor Company Driver Forms. . • 115
APPENDIX B. Ruch-Wilson Safe Driver Selection System. 118
APPENDIX C. Correlation of Individual Tests with
Accident Rate on the Basis of Tests
Given to 3>663 Connecticut Drivers. • • • 120
APPENDIX D. Results of Tests Administered by the
American Automobile Association to 7,000
Drivers in the East • • • * • • . . • • • 127
APPENDIX £. Results of Tests Administered by
Los Angeles Motor Coach Lines . . • • • • 136
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGE
I. Comparison of Personal Bata Scores with Length
of Service— Total— 1,016 Drivers . . . . . . . 25
II* Results— Carnation Company Fresh Milk and
Ice Cream Driver Los Angeles Plant . . . . . . 68
III. Results— Carnation Company Fresh Milk and
Ice Cream Division Drivers— Oakland, California,
and Houston, Texas • • • • • • • * « • • • • • 70
IV* Results— All Carnation (Fresh Milk Division)
Drivers Tested, All Plants, All Ages, All
Types of Vehicles. • 72
V. Test Results— Test Scores of Drivers in Carnation
Company Having Serious Accidents (Cost per
Accident over $100). • • • • • • • • • • • • * 72
VI. Results— Traffic Enforcement Detail, Los Angeles
Police Department. • • * . • • • . • • • • • • 7^
VII. Results— Carnation Company (Fresh Milk and
Ice Cream Division) Drivers under 35 Years,
All Plants, All Types of Vehicles. . . . . . . 77
VIII* Per cent of Drivers of Various Age Groups Having
Accidents Since January 19*+7 (Carnation
Company) . . • . . • . . • . . . . . . . . . . 77
IX. Correlation of Individual Tests with Accident
Rate of 3,663 Connecticut Drivers. • • • • « • 120
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TABLE PAGE
X. Results of Color Vision Test • • • * • • * • • • 12?
XI* Results of Distance Judgment Test* • • • « • • * 127
XII* Results of Drivometer Contacts Test* • • • • • • 128
XIII* Results of Field of Vision Test* • • • * • • • * 129
XIV* Results of Glare Recovery Test • * • • • • • • • 130
XV* Results of Glare Resistance Test * • • • • • • • 131
XVI* Results of Reaction Time Test*............... 132
XVII* Results of Strength Test ......... 133
XVIII. Results of Visual Acuity Test. * • • * • • • • • 13^
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE PAGE
1.A merican Transit Association Motor Ability Test • • 56
2. Accident Classification of Operators Taking
Stability Test............................. 136
3. Accident Classification of Operators Taking Depth
Perception Test 137
Accident Classification of Operators Taking
Reaction Time Test........... 133
5* Accident Classification of Operators Taking Field
of Vision Test (Left Eye) • • • • . • • • • • • • 139
6. Accident Classification of Operators Taking Field
of Vision Test (RightE ye) .......... 1*K)
ix