Comparison of Self-Reported and Computer-Based Hazard Perception Skills Among Novice and Experienced Drivers

Abstract

Hazard perception (HP) ability of novice drivers has been studied mainly by using computer-based implicit measures, such as simulators or video clips. In this study, the authors tried to replicate and extend Farrand and McKenna’s (2001) study that compared computer-based HP testing with self-assessment. The authors measured HP latencies of experienced and novice drivers by using video clips reflecting actual traffic scenes and their domain-specific self-assessment. Participants (43 novice and 65 experienced drivers) were administered the computer-based Turkish Hazard Perception Test and a brief self-reported HP scale. Results indicated that experienced drivers had significantly shorter reaction time than novice drivers on computer-based video clips with a small effect size, but they reported much better HP skill on paper and pencil test with a strong effect size. Although the computer-based test scores were not correlated with self-reported HP for the novice driver group, they were negatively and significantly correlated for the experienced driver group, suggesting that experienced drivers develop a stronger overconfidence effect in their driving and hazard perception skills than novices.