DECISION SKILL APPEARS TO BE THE MOST ERROR-PRONE COMPONENT OF THE DRIVING TASK. IT MAY THEREFORE BE THE PRIME SOURCE OF ROAD ACCIDENTS. DECISIONS WHICH DRIVERS MAKE ABOUT VEHICLE MANOEUVRES APPEAR TO BE LARGELY A FUNCTION OF THE RISK THEY PERCEIVE IN THE SITUATION. THREE STUDIES WERE THEREFORE CARRIED OUT TO INVESTIGATE DRIVERS' RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOUR. THE FIRST STUDY INVOLVED A COMPUTER SIMULATION OF A TRAFFIC INTERSECTION, REQUIRING JUDGEMENTS OF CLEARANCE IN CLOSING GAPS. BOTH PERFORMANCE AND RISK ASSESSMENT WERE MEASURED. STRATEGIES OBSERVED IN THE PERFORMANCE TASK WERE A FUNCTION OF AGE AND SEX, ALTHOUGH NO SUCH DIFFERENCES WERE EVIDENT IN THE SUBJECTIVE RISK ESTIMATES. THE SECOND STUDY REQUIRED ASSESSMENT OF RISK IN PHOTOGRAPHS OF ROAD SITUATIONS TAKEN FROM THE DRIVER'S VIEWPOINT. IT WAS FOUND THAT RISK ASSESSMENTS COULD BE MANIPULATED BY MOTIVATIONAL INSTRUCTIONS. THE THIRD STUDY WAS SIMILAR TO THE SECOND, EXCEPT THAT A VIDEO TAPE-RECORDER WAS USED FOR PRESENTING THE STIMULUS MATERIAL. THE RESULTS SUGGESTED THAT PERCEIVED RISK FALLS WITH INCREASING AGE AND EXPERIENCE IN YOUNG MALE DRIVERS. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE ASSESSMENT OF PERCEIVED RISK MAY BE BIASED BY TASK AND MOTIVATIONAL VARIABLES AND THEREFORE SUBJECTIVE REPORTS OF RISK REQUIRE VALIDATION BY THE USE OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES.(Author/publisher).
Samenvatting