How are Distractibility and Hazard Prediction in Driving Related? Role of Driving Experience as Moderating Factor

Distraction constitute one of the ‘five fatal’ behaviours that contribute to road trauma, and some people may be more susceptible to it than others. It is also known that a greater ability to predict danger is related to a lower probability of suffering accidents. It could be hypothesised that drivers with a higher tendency to distraction are worse at predicting traffic hazards, but to what extent might driving experience serve to mitigate this tendency to distraction? The current study collected self-reported attentional errors from drivers by using the Attention-Related Driving Errors Scale (ARDES-Spain) in order to examine whether novice drivers suffered from inattention more than experienced drivers. The results demonstrated that novice drivers scored more highly on ARDES than experienced drivers. ARDES scores were then related to performance in a Hazard Prediction test, where participants had to report what hazard was about to happen in a series of video clips that occlude just as the hazard begins to develop. While experienced drivers were better at the Hazard Prediction test than novice drivers, those participants who reported fewer attention errors were also better able to detect the upcoming hazard following occlusion. In addition, the authors' results demonstrate a relationship between self-reported attentional errors and the ability to predict upcoming hazards on the road, with driving experience having a moderating role. In the case of novice drivers, as their scores in the Manoeuvring Errors ARDES factor increase, their ability in Hazard Prediction diminishes, while for experienced drivers the increase is not significant. Guidance on how to improve training for drivers in order to mitigate the effects of inattention on driving safety can be addressed.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2019.102886
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003687019301188
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00036870
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2019 Candida Castro et al. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Castro, Candida
  • 0000-0001-7348-5959
  • Padilla, Jose-Luis
  • Doncel, Pablo
  • Garcia-Fernandez, Pedro
  • Ventsislavova, Petya
  • Eisman, Eduardo
  • Crundall, David
• Publication Date: 2019-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Serial:
  • Applied Ergonomics
  • Volume: 81
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0003-6870
  • EISSN: 1872-9126
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00036870

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attention lapses; Distraction; Driver experience; Driving; Hazard evaluation; Risk assessment; Teenage drivers
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01716847
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 18 2019 9:15AM