Hazard perception in driving

Abstract

The major aim of this study was to investigate how hazard is perceived in the driving situation, with particular emphasis on the young, inexperienced driver. Subjects rated the risk of accident involvement for driving situations presented by a questionnaire, pictorially and while riding as a passenger in the real world traffic environment. The results of the questionnaire suggest it is the male driver who has 5-9 years driving experience who views most situations as less dangerous than do other researchers (Cairney, 1982, McCoombs, 1984). The results of the pictorial and on-road presentations showed young drivers in fact tended to have a greater level of subjectively held risk across all driving situations, regardless of the actual level of danger. More research is needed before any remedial measures can be proposed but what this study does indicate is that the young seem to lack the ability to accurately perceive the sources of danger in driving and their high level of subjective risk may in fact be due to over attention to only one hazard element out of a number which may be present.