How Virtual Reality Is Impacting Road Safety
The main reason there’s a high number of road accidents is because people aren’t educated enough about the dangers of reckless driving. Most people simply pass a driving test then read an unengaging leaflet or passively watch a road safety video before they start driving. But when you’re on the road, you can’t afford to learn from your mistakes. Your first mistake might be your last!
So, how can drivers be educated properly? Virtual reality! Many companies, including Ford and BMW have implemented VR into their road safety education campaigns.
Educating Drivers on Road Safety
Many authorities are now exploring virtual reality for enhancing safe driving practices. It is more effective than traditional driving manuals, and because it is immersive in nature, it shows road-users the reality of road accidents without endangering them.
Driving schools can also use virtual reality to help prospective drivers know the consequences of reckless road behavior. Virtual reality is more captivating for younger drivers who are most likely to indulge in bad driving behavior. And the best thing about it is it can mimic situations that are unsafe to practice.
Applications of Virtual Reality for Road Safety
NIFRS
In 2017, 828 people in Northern Ireland were involved in road crash accidents and suffered serious injuries. 63 of them lost their lives. The NIFRS (Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service) developed a new virtual reality education program in response to this. It targeted 16-24 year olds, putting them in the driver's seat. The VR experience allows people to see how events unfold during a car accident--before and after. Horrific scenes of the accident ingrain the importance of road safety into people's heads.
It Can Wait by AT&T
Distracted drivers put themselves at risk and also everyone else using the road. Distractions can cause a driver to miss important cues, events, objects, or lose control of a vehicle, leading to a crash.
AT&T’s campaign It Can Wait, is an awesome VR experience. It is very touching because people share real life experiences. A mother describes how she lost her son and a remorseful man talks about fatally injuring two people. There’s also a survivor who talks about the dangers of distracted driving and a first responder who discusses road accidents in detail.
WheelSwap by Ford
Ford’s WheelSwap lets you see things from the driver’s perspective. It exposes the different common hazards cyclists and drivers encounter on the road. The motor company created the virtual reality experience to enhance empathy between cyclists and motorists, impacting road behaviour for the better.
A study carried out on the VR experience showed that people committed to being better road users after using WheelSwap and over 50% of people said they have adjusted their behaviour after experiencing WheelSwap.
Virtual reality is helping drivers become more aware of how roads are dangerous and be more careful on the road. It has also changed the car buying experience. For example, you can simply use a virtual showroom app to check out the car you’d like to buy.