Effects of uncertainty, transmission type, driver age and gender on brake reaction and movement time.
OBJECTIVE
Braking time (BT) is a critical component in safe driving, and various approaches have been applied to minimize it. This study analyzed the components of BT in order to assess the effects of age, gender, vehicle transmission type, and event uncertainty, on its two primary components, perception-reaction time and brake-movement time.


METHODS
Perception-reaction time and brake-movement time were measured at the onset of lights for 72 subjects in a simulator. The six experimental conditions were three levels of uncertainty conditions (none, some, and some + false alarms) and two types of transmission (manual and automatic). The 72 subjects, half male and half female, were further divided into three age groups (mean of 23, 30, and 62 years). Each subject had 10 trials in each of the three levels of uncertainty conditions.


RESULTS
Transmission type did not significantly affect either perception-reaction time or brake-movement time. Perception-reaction time increased significantly from 0.32 to 0.42 s (P < .05) as uncertainty increased but brake-movement time did not change. Perception-reaction time increased (from 0.35 to 0.43 s) with age but brake-movement time did not change with age. Gender did not affect perception-reaction time but did affect brake-movement time (males 0.19 s vs. females 0.16 s).


CONCLUSIONS
At 90 km/h, a car travels 0.25 m in 0.01 s. Consequently, even such small effects multiplied by millions of vehicle-kilometers can contribute to significant savings in lives and damages.
Warshawsky-Livne
Lora
L
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, 84105 Beersheba, Israel.
Shinar
David
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000592:standards*; D001336:Automobiles; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D011336:Probability; D011930:Reaction Time; D012737:Sex Factors