Older and Younger Driver Performance at Complex Intersections: Implications for Using Perception-Response Time and Driving Simulation

Abstract

Older drivers are at increased accident risk at intersections for a variety of maneuvers. To examine why, a study was conducted to assess older driver performance at complex intersections in a driving simulator. The University of Calgary Driving Simulator was used to test healthy older drivers (65-83, M = 71.4) and younger drivers (19-22, M = 20.7). Critical scenarios included the sudden appearance of a pedestrian in an intersection, a lastsecond yellow light, an unexpected change during a left, and a vehicle violating a stoplight. Older drivers had significantly higher perception response times (PRT) than younger drivers for the latter three of the four intersection scenarios. Analysis of specific maneuvers also revealed qualitative response differences between young and old groups. In contradiction to expectation, more older drivers ran the yellow light than younger drivers. The capability of older drivers to respond under time constraints is implicated. The utility of driving simulators to assess older driver performance at intersections was limited by the prevalence of simulator sickness.