Older driver failures of attention at intersections: using change blindness methods to assess turn decision accuracy.
A modified version of the flicker technique to induce change blindness was used to examine the effects of time constraints on decision-making accuracy at intersections on a total of 62 young (18-25 years), middle-aged (26-64 years), young-old (65-73 years), and old-old (74+ years) drivers. Thirty-six intersection photographs were manipulated so that one object (i.e., pedestrian, vehicle, sign, or traffic control device) in the scene would change when the images were alternated for either 5 or 8 s using the modified flicker method. Young and middle-aged drivers made significantly more correct decisions than did young-old and old-old drivers. Logistic regression analysis of the data indicated that age and/or time were significant predictors of decision performance in 14 of the 36 intersections. Actual or potential applications of this research include driving assessment and crash investigation.
Caird
Jeff K
JK
Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada. jkcaird@ucalgary.ca
Edwards
Christopher J
CJ
Creaser
Janet I
JI
Horrey
William J
WJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D000416:Alberta; D001288:Attention; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D013997:Time Factors