Citation

Ābele L, Haustein S, Møller M, Martinussen LM. Accid. Anal. Prev. 2018; 118: 214-220.

Affiliation

DTU Management, Diplomvej, Building 372, DK-2800 Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark. Electronic address: laima@dtu.dk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.aap.2018.02.022

PMID

29502852

Abstract

Young male drivers have lower hazard perception skills (HPS) than older and more experienced drivers and a tendency to overestimate their skills in hazardous situations. Both factors contribute to an over-representation in traffic accidents. Based on a sample of 63 drivers aged 18-24, this study compares the consistency of HPS measured by objective and subjective measures and the link between these measures is the key contribution of the study. Both visible and hidden hazards are included.

OBJECTIVE measures of HPS include responsiveness and eye movements while driving in a driving simulator. Subjective measures of HPS include self-reports derived based on the Hazard Perception Questionnaire (HPQ), Driving Skill Questionnaire (DSQ), and Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS).

RESULTS show that drivers who respond to the hazards on time, as compared to drivers who do not respond, have higher scores on subjective measures of HPS and higher driving skills in the visible but not in the hidden condition. Eye movement analysis confirms the difference and shows that response in time to hazards indicate higher HPS and young drivers are poor at detecting hidden hazards. Drivers with a response in time locate the hazard faster, have more fixations, but dwell less on the hazard. At the same time, those who do not respond have a later first fixation and fewer but longer fixations on the hazard. High sensation seeking drivers respond to visible hazards on time, suggesting that sensation seeking does not affect HPS negatively when the hazard is visible. To enhance the HPS among young drivers, the results of this study suggest that specific hazard perception training is relevant, especially for hazards that require more advanced HPS.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Driving simulator; Eye movements; Hazard perception skills; Young male drivers