Abstract
Cycling in traffic requires a combination of motor and perceptual skills while interacting with a dynamic and fast-changing environment. The inferior perceptual-motor skills in individuals with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) may put them at a higher risk for accidents. A key skill to navigate in traffic is to quickly detect hazardous situations. This perceptual-cognitive skill was investigated in young adults with DCD using simulated traffic situations in a hazard perception test in cycling. Nine individuals with DCD (age: 23.0 ± 3.8) and nine typically developing (TD) individuals (age: 24.6 ± 3.5) participated in the study and completed the test while their gaze was tracked using a remote eye tracking device. A questionnaire was used to determine cycling experience and the perception of cycling and anticipation skill in traffic. Despite a longer period to master the motor skill of cycling, individuals with DCD reported to be able to safely cycle in traffic around the same age as TD young adults. In the hazard perception test, individuals with DCD fixated the hazards later, less frequently and for a shorter duration than the TD participants, however, the participants with DCD did not wait longer to react to the hazard than the TD participants. Interestingly, individuals with DCD rated the traffic situations in the test as significantly more dangerous than the TD participants. In conclusion, the differences exposed in the hazard perception test may imply an increased risk of accidents in individuals with DCD. In further research and practice it is recommended that both the motor and the perceptual aspects of cycling are addressed.
Highlights
Navigating safely through traffic, whether as a car driver, cyclist or pedestrian, depends on cognitive, and perceptual-motor processes
Individuals with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have difficulties with perceptual function, oculomotor function (Warlop et al, 2020), executive function (Tsai et al, 2012), and forward modeling all of which are core abilities within the situational awareness model. When it comes to level 1 Purcell et al (2012) demonstrated reduced looming sensitivity in children with DCD when observing cars approaching as a pedestrian
Recent research shows that both children and adults with DCD perceive road crossing, as a pedestrian, as a more challenging task than typically developing (TD) peers (Wilmut and Purcell, 2020), which indicates that the individuals are to some extent aware of the risk associated with their perceptual-motor problems
Summary
Navigating safely through traffic, whether as a car driver, cyclist or pedestrian, depends on cognitive, and perceptual-motor processes. Individuals with DCD have difficulties with perceptual function (for review see Wilson and McKenzie, 1998), oculomotor function (Warlop et al, 2020), executive function (Tsai et al, 2012), and forward modeling (for review see Wilson et al, 2013) all of which are core abilities within the situational awareness model When it comes to level 1 (perception of the environment and events) Purcell et al (2012) demonstrated reduced looming sensitivity in children with DCD when observing cars approaching as a pedestrian. Recent research shows that both children and adults with DCD perceive road crossing, as a pedestrian, as a more challenging task than typically developing (TD) peers (Wilmut and Purcell, 2020), which indicates that the individuals are to some extent aware of the risk associated with their perceptual-motor problems In this respect, in this important to highlight that individuals with DCD perceive themselves as less competent car drivers and avoid active participation to traffic (Kirby et al, 2011a). Given the critical role of the perception of risk and the perceived competence of cycling skill in the individuals’ decision to actively engage in traffic these factors were documented
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