Linked Life Data

19540965

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/19540965

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-6-22
pubmed:abstractText
Driving errors for older drivers may result from a higher momentary mental workload resulting from complex driving situations, such as intersections. The present study examined if the mental workload of young and older active drivers vary with the difficulty of the driving context. We adopted the probe reaction time (RT) technique to measure the workload while driving in a simulator. The technique provided clear instructions about the primary (driving) and secondary (RT) tasks. To avoid structural interference, the secondary task consisted of responding as rapidly as possible with a vocal response ("top") to an auditory stimulus. Participants drove through a continuous 26.4-km scenario including rural and urban sections and probes (stimuli) were given in a baseline static condition and in three different driving contexts embedded into the overall driving scenario. Specifically, stimuli were given randomly when (a) driving on straight roads at a constant speed, (b) approaching intersections for which the driver had to stop the car, and (c) when overtaking a slower vehicle. Unless a driving error was made, drivers did not need any emergency responses. Reaction time was defined as the temporal interval between the auditory stimulus and the onset of the corresponding verbal response detected from the analog signal of a piezo-electric microphone fixed on a headset (ms accuracy). Baseline RTs were similar for both groups. Both groups showed longer RTs when driving and RTs increased as the complexity of the driving contexts increased (driving straights, intersections, overtaking maneuvers). Compared to younger drivers, however, older drivers showed longer RTs for all driving contexts and the most complex driving context (overtaking maneuvers) yielded a disproportionate increase. In conclusion, driving leads to a greater mental workload for the older drivers than for the younger drivers and this effect was exacerbated by the more complex driving context (overtaking maneuvers).
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
1879-2057
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
41
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
763-71
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
Mental workload when driving in a simulator: effects of age and driving complexity.
pubmed:affiliation
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Département des sciences de l'activité physique, Trois-Rivières, Canada.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't