Profile of older drivers at higher accident risk in a complex traffic situation
JOUSSE ; CAVALLO ; ISINGRINI
Type de document
COMMUNICATION AVEC ACTES INTERNATIONAL (ACTI)
Langue
anglais
Auteur
JOUSSE ; CAVALLO ; ISINGRINI
Résumé / Abstract
Accidents statistics, show that older drivers are over-represented in intersection accidents, especially when turning left. Our study aims at better understanding how does ageing affects the driving abilities of elderly drivers in this particular situation. Three groups participates, young (25-35 years), younger-old (60-69 years) and older-old (70 and more) took part in the experiment. The experiment consisted in two parts. Perceptual, cognitive and motor abilities were assessed in the first one.The second one took place on a driving simulator. Participants had to decide if they could perform a left turn at intersections. Traffic conditions such as speed, number of vehicles and direction of the traffic were manipulated. Statistical analysis showed the classicals age-related perceptual, cognitive and physical declines. With regards to driving performance, elderly drivers accepted fewer left-turn than younger drivers, but exhibited more risky behaviors. They initiated the maneuvers later, had shorter safety margins and took more risky decisions. Two patterns emerge from correlations between test results and driving behavior. Driving performances of young people showed that both their cognitive - inhibition and working memory - and perceptual abilities - visual scanning and vision - correlated with driving performances, but not their motor abilities. As for elderly people, cognitive - processing speed, inhibition and updating - and motor abilities - motor flexibility - were connected to driving performance, but not their perceptual abilities. Regressions are being processed in order to detail the relationships between the different variables. Results will determine which are the predictors of risky behavior among elderly in intersection.
Editeur
ECTRI
