Citation

Borowsky A, Oron-Gilad T, Parmet Y. Transp. Res. F Traffic Psychol. Behav. 2009; 12(4): 277-287.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.trf.2009.02.001

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Background: Poor hazard perception (HP) abilities correlate with young-inexperienced drivers’ over-representation in traffic crashes. HP ability can be examined by the degree of perceived hazard associated with a situation (i.e., how drivers rate-45 degree ruleclassify hazardousness). However, this form of evaluation was neglected in favor of measurement of perception-reaction time to perceived hazards. We argue that classification should be re-considered.

Method: In two similar studies, drivers with different driving experience completed two consecutive tasks: (1) observation of traffic-scene movies while pressing a response button each time they detected a hazard; and (2) observation of the same movies again and classifying them according to similarities in their hazardous situations.

Hypothesis: Young-inexperienced drivers classify the scenes according to similarity in actual hazards whereas more experienced drivers consider potentially hazardous situations in their classification criteria.

Results: In both studies young-inexperienced drivers tended to classify the movies according to similarity in their actual hazards whereas experienced drivers relied more on traffic-environment characteristics in their classification.

Conclusions: With experience, drivers perceive more potential hazards and relate to traffic-environment characteristics.

Implications: HP training programs should emphasize the tight link between traffic environment and specific hazards by including these factors when constructing the hazard perception movies database.