ISTL researchers attend Safe Mobility Conference and present recent work on visual scanning patterns of anxious drivers
Published April 6, 2026
On March 30-31 and April 1, 2026, faculty and students from the Stephen Still Institute for Sustainable Transportation and Logistics (SS ISTL) traveled to Seattle, Washington to attend the annual Safe Mobility Conference to present recent research findings.
The Safe Mobility Conference gathers each year to provide an opportunity for professionals and students from industry, academia and government to connect and share information while identifying challenges, solutions and best practices aimed at achieving safer mobility for all road users. The conference features high-quality workshops, technical sessions and plenary sessions while drawing global subject matter experts from diverse backgrounds.
SS ISTL researcher and Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering (CSEE) Assistant Professor Austin Angulo and CSEE PhD candidate Daisha Cardenas-Sanchez presented their research titled “Identifying visual scanning patterns of anxious drivers using virtual reality simulation.” Vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for young adults, often due to inexperience. However, the effects of driver's psychological factors remain insufficiently examined.
Their study leverages high-fidelity virtual reality driving simulation to objectively quantify how anxiety influences attention during safety-critical interactions, specifically when approaching a pedestrian at crossings without traffic signals.
Preliminary findings show distinct visual behaviors between groups. Non-anxious drivers exhibited more predictable and stable scanning patterns, suggesting effective monitoring of roadway elements during critical pedestrian interaction. In contrast, anxious drivers demonstrated greater variability and less predictable visual scanning behavior.
Their research was presented as part of the Graduate Student Poster Presentations session held on March 31, 2026.
The Safe Mobility Conference is organized by the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS). The AAAFTS mission is to save lives and prevent injuries by researching the causes of traffic crashes and educating the public on strategies to reduce risk. This is achieved through evidence-based research on driver behavior, technology and roadway systems to improve safety.
