01334324

Component

Previous research suggests that drivers change lanes less frequently during periods of heightened cognitive load. However, lane changing behavior of different age groups under varying levels of cognitive demand is not well understood. Moreover, the majority of studies which have evaluated lane changing behavior under cognitive workload, have been conducted in driving simulators. Thus, it is unclear if the patterns observed in these simulation studies carry over to field driving. In this paper, we evaluate data from an on-road study to determine the effects of age and cognitive demand on lane choice and lane changing behavior. Three age groups (20-29, 40-49, and 60-69) were monitored in an instrumented vehicle under varying levels of cognitive demand. The results show that the 40’s age group had a 115% higher likelihood of exhibiting lane changes than the 60’s group. In addition, drivers in their 20’s and 40’s traveled more often in the leftmost lane compared to drivers in their 60’s. These results suggest that older adults adopt a more conservative driving style by not traveling in the leftmost lane as much as the younger groups and being less likely to change lanes than drivers in their 40’s. Regardless of demand level, cognitive workload reduced the likelihood of lane changes for all age groups. This suggests that drivers of all ages tend to regulate their behavior in a risk reducing direction in response to added cognitive demands.

01329018

11-1604

English

16p

2011

Transportation Research Board 90th Annual Meeting

DVD

Figures (4) ; References (32)

Age groups; Aged drivers; Automobile drivers; Behavior; Cognition; Distraction; Driving simulators; Driving tests; High risk drivers; Highway safety; Lane changing; Risk management; Traffic lanes

Lane choice

Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2011 Paper #11-1604

TRIS, TRB

Feb 17 2011 5:52PM