Age differences in simulated driving performance: Compensatory processes

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention 2012-03, Vol.45, p.660-668
• Main Authors: Andrews, E.C., Westerman, S.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Age; Aged; Aging; Aging - psychology; Anticipation, Psychological; Aptitude; Assessments; Automobile Driving - psychology; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Reserve; Compensation; Computer Simulation; Deceleration; Driving; Female; Headways; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Population Dynamics; Reaction Time; Reserves; Safety; Simulation; Strategy; Time Perception; Traffic engineering; Traffic flow; Workload - psychology
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2011.09.047

► Age-related compensatory measures for driving can be generic or ability-specific. ► Older drivers adopted longer headways. ► ‘Cognitive reserve’ enabled some older drivers to compensate for declining abilities. ► High cognitive ability older drivers anticipated more frequently. ► Older drivers with high crystallised ability placed lower demands on fluid ability. In the context of driving, the reported experiment examines compensatory processes for age-related declines in cognitive ability. Younger (26–40 years) and older (60+ years) participants (n=22 each group) performed a car following task in a driving simulator. Several performance measures were recorded, including assessments of anticipation of unfolding traffic events. Participants also completed a range of measures of cognitive ability – including both fluid and crystallised abilities. Three examples of age-related compensation are reported: (i) older drivers adopted longer headways than younger drivers. Data were consistent with this being compensation for an age-related deficit in complex reaction time; (ii) older drivers with relatively higher cognitive ability anticipated traffic events more frequently, whereas the reverse pattern was found for younger drivers; and, (iii) older drivers with greater crystallised ability were less reliant on spatial ability to maintain lane position. Consistent with theories of ‘cognitive reserve’, interactions between crystallised ability and age for self-report workload suggested that compensation for age-related cognitive ability deficits required investment of additional effort. Results are considered in the context of the prospects of further assessment of older drivers.