Stress-level and attentional functions of experienced and novice young adult drivers in intersection-related hazard situations

Abstract

© 2022 Elsevier B.V.The purpose of this study is to determine the differences in stress-level and attentional functions between experienced and novice drivers during intersection-related hazard situations. A simulation experiment was conducted on 21 licensed drivers (15 males and 6 females, mean age 27.86 ± 3.32), categorized into two groups (experienced and novice) based on the frequency and length of their driving experience. The participants were asked to drive in the same lane at a constant speed for 9 randomized trials with three different conditions (no hazard, low hazard, high hazard). Driving performance, ECG, and eye-tracking data were collected throughout the whole session and a subjective questionnaire measuring perceived stress and attention load was administered after every trial. The result showed that although driving experience did not influence both speed and lane deviation, driving performance tends to deteriorate with increased hazard levels. Also, it was found that experienced drivers exhibited greater stress during intersection-related hazard situations than novices. However, regardless of the heightened stress, experienced drivers were faster in terms of attending to the hazard-related stimulus and showed proportional attention allocation to both the primary task and hazard-related stimulus. Overall, the results suggest that experienced drivers exhibited more changes in stress levels and attention load during high hazard situations than novice drivers. The results of this study may be applied in designing more effective training modules and driver support systems that would help drivers specifically during intersection-related hazard situations.