University Of Iowa College Of Public Health

Dr. Elizabeth O'Neal, a transportation safety expert and professor at the University of Iowa College of Public Health, discusses her research on pedestrian safety, particularly in relation to driverless vehicles and children. She explains that her research uses virtual environments to study how children interact with traffic and make crossing decisions. She also discusses the implications of driverless technology and the need for clear communication between autonomous vehicles and pedestrians, especially children. Dr. O'Neal emphasizes the importance of considering the safety of vulnerable road users when developing policies and recommends teaching children about road safety beyond the basic "look right, look left" approach. She suggests that parents can use talk-aloud protocols to demonstrate their decision-making process when crossing roads. To stay informed about ongoing research and developments in this field, Dr. O'Neal suggests checking the websites of organizations such as the National Highway Traffic