Errors in perception and recognition are the most common causes of road accidents involving normal sober drivers. This paper presents two experiments which attempt to explore together three relevant factors: (1) driver experience; (2) the level of processing demanded by the driving situation; and (3) the quality of the stimuli available to the driver. In the first, the eye movements of 16 experienced drivers were recorded while driving a car. They were asked to drive a 20-minute route, and their eye movements were evaluated for three `one-minute windows' on the route with specific characteristics. In the second, 32 young novice drivers and 22 older experienced drivers watched hazard perception scenes. There was some difficulty in interpreting the complex findings in terms of perception theories, but the level of demand placed on various drivers under various road conditions may be useful for assessing the difference between experienced and inexperienced drivers.
Abstract