Presentation
Age-Related Differences in Driver Decision-Making During Safety-Critical Situations
DescriptionOlder adults are the fastest-growing age group worldwide. Fluid skills decline with age, but the ability to use accumulated knowledge (i.e., crystallized intelligence) improves with age. Driving is a task that 1) older adults have years of experience performing and 2) benefits from usage of crystallized knowledge. However, aging and driving research largely focuses on age-related declines, and neglects how accumulated knowledge supports older drivers’ decision-making. In contrast, this study examines how acquired knowledge and experience affect decision-making in safety-critical driving situations across age groups. An online survey was conducted with 299 U.S. drivers, who were divided into younger and older age groups. Participants watched 24 videos of a subject vehicle on a highway stopping immediately before a safety-critical event. The scenarios varied in terms of traffic condition and road obstacle type. Participants selected the course of action they felt was most appropriate. Overall, older drivers were significantly more likely to “brake” and “take no action” (as opposed to “steer”) compared to younger adults. Study results can help identify ways in which older adults apply their knowledge of driving and also inform the design of vehicle systems to account for differences in decision-making strategies.
Event Type
Lecture
TimeThursday, October 16th11:30am - 11:50am CDT
LocationGrand E/F
Age and Ability
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