Do Crashes and Near Crashes in Simulator-Based Training Enhance Novice Drivers’ Visual Search for Latent Hazards?

Young drivers (younger than 25 years of age) are overrepresented in crashes. Research suggests that a relevant cause is inadequate visual search for possible hazards that are hidden from view. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a low-cost, fixed-base simulator training program that would address this failure. It was hypothesized that elicited crashes in the simulator training would result in better scanning for latent hazards in scenarios that were similar to the training scenarios but situated in a different environment (near transfer), and, to a lesser degree, would result in better scanning in scenarios that had altogether different latent hazards than those contained in the training scenarios (far transfer). To test the hypotheses, 18 trained and 18 untrained young novice drivers were evaluated on an advanced driving simulator (different from the training simulator). The eye movements of both groups were measured. In near transfer scenarios, trained drivers fixated the hazardous region 84% of the time, compared with only 57% of untrained drivers. In far transfer scenarios, trained drivers fixated the hazardous region 71% of the time, compared with only 53% of untrained drivers. The differences between trained and untrained drivers in both the near transfer scenarios and the far transfer scenarios were significant, with a large effect size in the near transfer scenarios and a medium effect size in the far transfer scenarios [respectively: U = 63.00, p(2-tailed) < .01, r = −.53, and U = 88.00, p(2-tailed) < .05, r = −.39].

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/2265-17
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Do+Crashes+and+Near+Crashes+in+Simulator-Based+Training+Enhance+Novice+Drivers%e2%ac%22+Visual+Search+for+Latent+Hazards%3f&author=W.+Vlakveld&author=M.+Romoser&author=H.+Mehranian&author=F.+Diete&author=A.+Pollatsek&author=D.+Fisher&publication_year=2011
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/166819.aspx
• Authors:
  • Vlakveld, Willem
  • Romoser, Matthew R E
  • Mehranian, Hasmik
  • Diete, Frank
  • Pollatsek, Alexander
  • Fisher, Donald L
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 153-160
• Monograph Title: Highway and Traffic Safety: Vehicles, Behavior, and Roundabouts
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
  • Issue Number: 2265
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age groups; Automobile drivers; Driver education; Driving simulators; Eye movements; Hazards; Highway safety; Recently qualified drivers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Hazard recognition; Visual search
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01337910
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309223027
• Report/Paper Numbers: 11-0371
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 27 2011 7:20AM