Improving Fitness to Drive: The Case for Hazard Perception Training

Abstract

On one hand, individuals who are unfit to drive should not be allowed behind the wheel. On the other hand, being unable to drive can have significant negative consequences for some individuals, including an increased mortality risk. One potential solution to this dilemma is to use training interventions to improve fitness-to-drive. The problem is that, in general, post-licensing driver training and education has a disappointing track record in terms of improving road safety. However, one type of intervention that may have the potential to buck this trend is hazard perception training. Hazard perception, which is the driver's ability to anticipate dangerous situations on the road ahead, has been found to predict both crash risk and on-road driving performance, and can account for variance in both of these criteria that other key fitness-to-drive measures cannot. Crucially, there is evidence that hazard perception competence can be improved by brief computer-based interventions, even for driver groups who are more likely to face fitness-to-drive challenges, such as individuals aged over 65 years or adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This article puts the case for potentially using such interventions to help individuals with fitness-to-drive difficulties.

A First Step toward the Understanding of Implicit Learning of Hazard Anticipation in Inexperienced Road Users Through a Moped-Riding Simulator

“…However, as Horswill (2016) claimed, despite the fact that evidence in the literature does not yet completely confirm if simulator trainings (as well as other kinds of training methods) actually reduce on-road crash risk, understanding the behavioral measures that are affected by each kind of training is still important and can allow us to predict crash risk.…”

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“…Additionally, research has shown hazard perception training to be effective in improving the hazard perception skills of drivers (e.g. Castro et al, 2016;Horswill, 2016;Horswill, Garth, Hill, & Watson, 2017;Vlakveld, 2014;Wetton, Hill, & Horswill, 2013). Therefore the fact that the study indicates that this training is also effective for minority groups such as those with ADHD is an important finding.…”

What will the car driver do? A video-based questionnaire study on cyclists' anticipation during safety-critical situations

“…Cycling experience was not significantly associated with correctly predicting the driver's behavior, slowing-down, or perceived risk. Previous research showed that hazard detection skills can be improved through experience and training (e.g., Crundall et al, 2012;Horswill, 2016b), but little is known about the relationship between cycling experience and the ability to predict other road users' behaviors. It is possible that cycling experience is not a unique predictor, and that other types of experiences (e.g., driving, walking in traffic) as well as perceptual skills (e.g., speed estimation, interception skill) are predictive of whether one is able to anticipate what a car driver will do next.…”