Comprehensive assessments of the effects of auditory cognitive distractions on driving safety across the lifespan

Abstract

Inexperienced younger (29), middle-aged (29), and older drivers (25) participated in a study evaluating the effects of auditory cognitive distractions on driving safety. Unlike prior research, the secondary tasks were typical of everyday behavior such as listening to a story and participating in a radio quiz. The study also examined driving performance more broadly than prior studies. Outcome measures included speed and lateral control similar to prior studies but in addition included headway maintenance, mean headway time, gap acceptance, mirror use, proper signaling, stopping behavior, intersection scanning. Performance was evaluated in a wider range of driving tasks than prior studies (e.g. included gap tasks such as lane changes, freeway merges, left turns in addition to straightaway car-following). Results showed that older drivers were affected the most by these distractions and that performance was often degraded beyond speed and lateral control to include signaling, mirror use, intersection scanning behaviors.