TY - JOUR
T1 - Time-to-contact estimation errors among older drivers with useful field of view impairments
AU - Rusch, Michelle L.
AU - Schall, Mark C.
AU - Lee, John D.
AU - Dawson, Jeffrey D.
AU - Edwards, Samantha V.
AU - Rizzo, Matthew
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by NIH R01AG17177, NIH R01AG026027, the Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center , the Heartland Center for Occupational Health and Safety , and the Iowa Center for Research by Undergraduates .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2016/10/1
Y1 - 2016/10/1
N2 - Previous research indicates that useful field of view (UFOV) decline affects older driver performance. In particular, elderly drivers have difficulty estimating oncoming vehicle time-to-contact (TTC). The objective of this study was to evaluate how UFOV impairments affect TTC estimates in elderly drivers deciding when to make a left turn across oncoming traffic. TTC estimates were obtained from 64 middle-aged (n = 17, age = 46 ± 6 years) and older (n = 37, age = 75 ± 6 years) licensed drivers with a range of UFOV abilities using interactive scenarios in a fixed-base driving simulator. Each driver was situated in an intersection to turn left across oncoming traffic approaching and disappearing at differing distances (1.5, 3, or 5 s) and speeds (45, 55, or 65 mph). Drivers judged when each oncoming vehicle would collide with them if they were to turn left. Findings showed that TTC estimates across all drivers, on average, were most accurate for oncoming vehicles travelling at the highest velocities and least accurate for those travelling at the slowest velocities. Drivers with the worst UFOV scores had the least accurate TTC estimates, especially for slower oncoming vehicles. Results suggest age-related UFOV decline impairs older driver judgment of TTC with oncoming vehicles in safety-critical left-turn situations. Our results are compatible with national statistics on older driver crash proclivity at intersections.
AB - Previous research indicates that useful field of view (UFOV) decline affects older driver performance. In particular, elderly drivers have difficulty estimating oncoming vehicle time-to-contact (TTC). The objective of this study was to evaluate how UFOV impairments affect TTC estimates in elderly drivers deciding when to make a left turn across oncoming traffic. TTC estimates were obtained from 64 middle-aged (n = 17, age = 46 ± 6 years) and older (n = 37, age = 75 ± 6 years) licensed drivers with a range of UFOV abilities using interactive scenarios in a fixed-base driving simulator. Each driver was situated in an intersection to turn left across oncoming traffic approaching and disappearing at differing distances (1.5, 3, or 5 s) and speeds (45, 55, or 65 mph). Drivers judged when each oncoming vehicle would collide with them if they were to turn left. Findings showed that TTC estimates across all drivers, on average, were most accurate for oncoming vehicles travelling at the highest velocities and least accurate for those travelling at the slowest velocities. Drivers with the worst UFOV scores had the least accurate TTC estimates, especially for slower oncoming vehicles. Results suggest age-related UFOV decline impairs older driver judgment of TTC with oncoming vehicles in safety-critical left-turn situations. Our results are compatible with national statistics on older driver crash proclivity at intersections.
KW - Designing for the elderly
KW - Displays and controls
KW - Driver behavior
KW - Sensory and perceptual processes
KW - Simulation and virtual reality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84979282940&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84979282940&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.aap.2016.07.008
DO - 10.1016/j.aap.2016.07.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 27472816
AN - SCOPUS:84979282940
SN - 0001-4575
VL - 95
SP - 284
EP - 291
JO - Accident Analysis and Prevention
JF - Accident Analysis and Prevention
ER -