HAZARD AND RISK PERCEPTION AMONG YOUNG NOVICE DRIVERS

Young novice drivers are overrepresented in traffic accidents. Although they quickly acquire the skills needed to control a motor vehicle, it takes much longer for novice drivers to develop the higher-order perceptual and cognitive skills necessary to safely interact with the driving environment. This paper proposes a model of the processes mediating behavior around traffic hazards and critically reviews the literature on novice drivers within the framework provided by the model. Compared with experienced drivers, novice drivers detect hazards less quickly and efficiently and perceive them less holistically. The detection of hazards is proposed to provide the requisite information for risk perception, the process that includes assessing both the level of risk posed by a hazard and one's ability to deal with the hazard effectively. Research indicates that young drivers underestimate the risk of an accident in a variety of hazardous situations. At the same time, they overestimate their own driving skill. Young drivers are also more willing to accept risk while driving than experienced drivers. These factors are likely to contribute to young novice drivers overrepresentation in accidents. Opportunities for further research are discussed.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1800052
• Corporate Authors:

  Elsevier Science, Incorporated

  660 White Plains Road
  Tarrytown, NY  United States  10591-5153
• Authors:
  • Deery, H A
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 225-236
• Serial:
  • Journal of Safety Research
  • Volume: 30
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0022-4375
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00224375

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abilities; Attitudes; Behavior; Cognition; Driver experience; Driving; Hazard evaluation; High risk drivers; Judgment (Human characteristics); Perception; Risk assessment; Risk taking; Self evaluation; Teenage drivers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Age differences
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00781832
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-042 965
• Files: HSL, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 28 2000 12:00AM