AN EXPERIMENT IN THE USE OF A DRIVING SIMULATOR AS A LICENSE TESTING DEVICE. PROGRESS REPORT. PUBLIC REACTION TO SIMULATOR TESTING

AN EXPERIMENTAL SIMULATOR TEST WAS ADMINISTERED TO VOLUNTEERS AT A NEW YORK STATE ROAD TEST SITE. THE TEST GROUP OF 595 INCLUDED BOTH LICENSE APPLICANTS AND THEIR ACCOMPANYING LICENSED DRIVERS. FOLLOWING THE SIMULATOR TEST, A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS PRESENTED TO ALL SUBJECTS. EQUIPMENT FAILURE PREVENTED COMPLETION OF THE EVALUATION OF THE SIMULATOR AS A TESTING DEVICE. ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS INDICATED THAT 54.0% OF THE SUBJECTS FELT THE SIMULATOR TEST WAS A GOOD WAY OF DETERMINING DRIVING ABILITY. MALES AND EXPERIENCED DRIVERS REACTED MORE FAVORABLY TOWARD THE TEST THAN DID FEMALES AND INEXPERIENCED DRIVERS. WHEN ASKED IF THEY WOULD PREFER TO TAKE THEIR ENTIRE DRIVING TEST ON A SIMULATOR, 92.3% OF THE TEST GROUP ANSWERED IN THE NEGATIVE. QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS INDICATE THAT THERE SHOULD BE LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF SIMULATOR TESTING IF IT IS USED AS A SUPPLEMENT TO OTHER TESTING METHODS. THE DEPARTMENT INTENDS THAT EVALUATION OF THE SIMULATOR AS A LICENSE TESTING DEVICE WILL BE CONTINUED WITH IMPROVED EQUIPMENT FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW TESTING FILM. /HSRI/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • 18 Pp, Tabs
• Corporate Authors:

  New York State Department of Motor Vehicles

  Division of Research and Development, Empire State Plaza
  Albany, NY  United States  12228
• Authors:
  • O'Brien, J F
  • Kuziomko, L
• Publication Date: 1971-1

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Driving simulators; Driving tests; Evaluation; Gender; Knowledge; Questionnaires
• Uncontrolled Terms: Experience
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221364
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 18 1971 12:00AM