An Investigation of Age-Related Changes in Drivers Visual Search Patterns and Driving Performance and the Relation to Tests of Basic Functional Capacities

Abstract

Thirteen aged (60's) and ten young (20's) subjects performed on-the-road driving tasks. Subjects also performed psychomotor lab tasks. The road tests were: a task in which drivers voluntarily closed their eyes as much as possible; and a task in which driver's eye fixations were recorded. The lab tests were rapid tapping between targets, (motor capacity), and an embedded figures test (perceptual skill). The lab tests showed much poorer scores for the aged. On the road, aged drivers opened their eyes much longer (visual occlusion task), and had larger mean visual travel distances between fixations (degrees). The results suggested aged drivers required longer times and searched more cues to obtain adequate information. Lab and road scores were correlated. Some aged performed at the same level as younger.