EFFECTS OF CARBON MONOXIDE INTOXICATION ON DRIVING TASKS

Although a great deal is known about the human physiological response to acute carbon monoxide poisoning, considerable controversy exists over the possible psychophysical and behavioral respones to carbon monoxide exposures that produce carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels less than 20 percent. Because a variety of carbon monoxide exposure conditions can produce equivalent COHb levels, the major emphasis of this study is the effects of specific COHb levels. This study was designed to investigate the possible effects of CO on driving-related performance. The scope of the investigation included, first, laboratory and field measurements of COHb in human subjects. Next, the relation of the various levels of COHb to physiological performance, simple and complex psychomotor skills, and driving performance was studied. The complex laboratory tasks related to driving included pursuit tracking, choice reaction time, and dual tasks (wherein both pursuit tracking and choice reaction time tests were performed simultaneously). The driving performance studies investigated vehicle dynamics such as velocity and spacing during car following; operator control movements such as steering wheel, gas pedal, and brake pedal applications; and preceptual measures, such as driver's visual search and scan patterns measured with the Ohio State University eye-movement camera technique. This paper is limited to results of road studies only.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1974/520/520-002.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=EFFECTS+OF+CARBON+MONOXIDE+INTOXICATION+ON+DRIVING+TASKS&author=T.+Rockwell&author=F.+Weir&publication_year=1974
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Road User Characteristics. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Rockwell, Thomas H
  • Weir, Francis W
• Conference:
  • 53rd Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1974-1-21 to 1974-1-25
• Publication Date: 1974

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 13-24
• Monograph Title: Driver performance
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 520
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automated vehicle control; Blood carbon monoxide levels; Braking; Carbon monoxide; Driver performance; Drivers; Field tests; Integral equations; Laboratory tests; Personnel performance; Physiological aspects; Steering; Vehicle dynamics; Visual perception
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00095725
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309023653
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 2 1975 12:00AM