Abstract
The misallocation of driver visual attention has been suggested as a major contributing factor to vehicle accidents. One possible reason is that the relatively high cognitive demands of driving limit the ability to efficiently allocate gaze. We present an experiment that explores the relationship between attentional function and visual performance when driving. Drivers performed 2 variations of a multiple-object tracking task targeting aspects of cognition including sustained attention, dual-tasking, covert attention, and visuomotor skill. They also drove a number of courses in a driving simulator. Eye movements were recorded throughout. We found that individuals who performed better in the cognitive tasks exhibited more effective eye movement strategies when driving, such as scanning more of the road, and they also exhibited better driving performance. We discuss the potential link between an individual’s attentional function, effective eye movements, and driving ability. We also discuss the use of a visuomotor task in assessing driving behavior.
Highlights
We explore how individual differences in visual cognition may correlate with effective visual behavior; eye movements that are typically associated with safer drivers
We have found that there are individual differences in eye movement behavior and driving performance even among those with similar driving experience
We found that individual’s attentional function is a contributing factor to these differences; where better performance on visual attention tasks is accompanied by eye movement and driving behavior typically associated with safer driving
Summary
Participants Twenty-seven participants took part in the study (12 males). Two participants were excluded due to poor eye movement calibration (Ͼ2°). This left a sample of 25 (11 males) with an age range of 18 –51 years (Mage ϭ 22.5 years; SD ϭ 6.6). All participants had normal or corrected-to-normal vision and were recruited through the University of St. Andrews Sona Systems experiment participation scheme. Participants reported having no previous experience with the driving simulator. Given the possible similarities between the driving simulation and the visual attentional tasks to a video game environment, we recruited participants who played video games, on average, less than 1 hr a week. The study was approved by the University of St Andrews University Teaching and Research Ethics Committee
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