Citation

van Winsum W, Brouwer WH. Percept. Mot. Skills 1997; 84(3): 1247-1257.

Affiliation

Traffic Research Centre, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9229443

Abstract

The relation between car-following behaviour and braking performance was studied in a driving simulator. The theoretical perspective was that individual differences in tactical car-driving behaviour may be related to skills on the operational level of the driving task via a process of adaptation. In a sample of 16 young and middle-aged experienced drivers independent assessments were made of preferred time headway during car following and of braking skill. Starting from modern theories of visual-motor learning, braking performance was analyzed in terms of a reaction time component, an open-loop visual-motor component, and a closed-loop visual-motor component involving the precise adjustment of braking (timing and force) to the situation. The efficiency of the visual-motor component of braking was a strong and significant predictor of choice of time headway to the lead vehicle in such a way that less efficient braking indicated a preference for a longer time headway. This result supports the theory of adaptation on the individual level.

Language: en