Citation

Staplin LK. Transp. Res. Rec. 1995; 1485: 49-55.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Research evaluated the effect of varying approach vehicle speed on judgments of the last safe moment to initiate a left turn at an intersection ahead of oncoming traffic. Young (mean age 33.3 years), young-old (mean age, 65.1 years), and old-old (mean age, 79.4 years) drivers were tested in a controlled field study and in laboratory studies by using varying simulation techniques. A repeated-measures design acquired the same responses from the same subjects by using the same stimuli under all methodologies. Reliable age differences in both target recognition distance and judged minimum safe gap distance were demonstrated, as was an age X speed interaction for gap judgment. Principal findings indicate a relative insensitivity to vehicle approach speed in left-turn situations by older drivers. It is argued that this produces a reliance on instantaneous judgments of perceived distance alone, disproportionately increasing the risk for older drivers when there is an isolated speeder in the opposing traffic stream. A countermeasure need is thus identified, but countermeasure effectiveness was not investigated in the present research. Furthermore, the present findings suggest that image and scene attributes including high resolution and correct size and perspective cues may be prerequisites for valid and generalizable driving simulation measures of visual sensory and perceptual task performance.

Record URL:
http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1995/1485/1485-007.pdf

Language: en

Keywords

Automobile drivers; Intersections; Highway traffic control; Ability testing; Motor transportation