Driving-related factors affecting mind-wandering behind the wheel: a systematic review

Sergio Traficante, Luigi Tinella, Antonella Lopez, Andrea Bosco, Sjaan Koppel, Giuseppina Spano, Rosa Napoletano, Elisabetta Ricciardi and Alessandro Oronzo Caffò

Transport Reviews, 2025, vol. 45, issue 6, 948-969

Abstract: Distracted driving (DD), defined as the diversion of attention from the primary task of driving towards competing activities, represents a significant issue for road safety as it contributes to Motor Vehicle Crashes (MVCs). Mind-Wandering (MW), an example of internal distraction, occurs when drivers shift their attention to internal mentation. The association between MW behind the wheel and road safety suggests the importance of outlining an overview of such a phenomenon and its related factors. This study aimed to systematically review the available evidence on driving-related factors associated with MW behind the wheel. A systematic search of databases from public health, psychology, and transport safety (Web Of Science and Scopus) was conducted on September 28th 2024. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Thirty-four articles met the eligibility criteria. Four articles focused on (a) vehicle-related factors, namely adaptive driving-assisted technology (ADAS). One article focused on (b) environmental factors, namely weather conditions. Twenty-four articles focused on (c) human factors, with the following subtopics: perceptual load and familiarity with the environment, personality traits, and socio-demographic factors. Five articles focused on (d) behavioral consequences and MVC risk. The studies' main findings identified more research on the human factor, and less on vehicle-related, environmental, and behavioral consequences factors. The main results suggest that: susceptibility to MW is linked to individual characteristics and driving conditions with low perceptual load, specific weather conditions can reduce the frequency of MW due to an increased perceptual load on the driver, ADAS (Level 2) tends to promote the onset of MW, and finally, MW is associated with a deterioration in driving performance, including slower reaction times and deviations from the correct roadway path. The implementation of preventive measures might be explored, including educational interventions tailored to driver-related characteristics to raise awareness of MW risks and promote attentive driving behavior.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/01441647.2025.2525284

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