Title The Learning Effect and Workload of Older Drivers in a Driving Simulator
Dept Transportation Safety Division
Year 2015
Month
Price
Summary The present study aimed to examine the learning effect and workload of older drivers using a driving simulator. Twenty licensed drivers participated in the present study, comprising ten older adults (five men and five women with an average age of 60.9 years) and ten younger adults (five men and five women with an average age of 33.7 years). All participants operated the simulator, where they were instructed to repeatedly complete a single route ten times. The finishing time for each round was recorded, and participants were instructed to complete the NASA-TLX scale following Rounds 1, 5 and 10. Each participant’s finish times were incorporated into a regression equation to calculate the learning rate (Φ) and theoretical first finishing time (T1). An ANOVA analysis indicated that older adults manifested a significantly longer T1 (258 sec vs.183 sec) than the young drivers, but presented no significant differences in learning rate (; approx. 0.87) and workload (NASA-TXL). Interestingly, workload decreased concurrently with an increase in the number of attempts. Understanding the learning effect could be helpful to trainers in determining how to allocate training resources and/or schedule practices to optimize training effectiveness. In addition, the older drivers required a longer time to complete their simulations. These results should be considered when formulating transportation legislature, designing vehicles, and other driving safety issues.

　　The results of the present study can be provided to the Ministry of Transportation as a reference for improving relevant transportation laws and regulations, and to relevant operators for reinforcing vehicle dash board and navigation designs, reducing older drivers’ workloads, and alleviating the harm inflicted on older drivers during traffic accidents.
Post date 2015/10/07
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