The effects of cognitive distraction on young novice driver performance

Abstract

The impact of increased attentional demands, exacerbated by distraction, on young novice drivers, is of particular interest due to the fact they lack of experience, limitation of functional capacity and lack of maturity. This study aimed to evaluate, using Lane change task (LCT), the effects of cognitive distraction on the driving performance of young novice drivers. 50 participants of age 17 ' 25 with no more than two years of driving experience drove on simulated PC with and without combined cognitive task (n-back) while prompted to make lane changes with the aid of road signs. Measures of driving performance included; mean deviation in lane path (MDEV), standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP), speed and percentage of correct lane change. In addition, cognitive failure questionnaires (CFQ) and multidimensional driving style inventory (MDSI) questionnaires were used for subjective rating. Results revealed that MDEV differed significantly between each condition for the entire dri