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Driving with hemianopia: IV. Head scanning and detection at intersections in a simulator
Alex R Bowers1, Egor Ananyev, Aaron J Mandel
1Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|January 30, 2014
Summary
Drivers with homonymous hemianopia (HH) scan more but with smaller movements, leading to missed pedestrians at intersections. Targeted scanning training may improve safety for these drivers.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Human Factors Engineering
Background:
- Homonymous hemianopia (HH) is a visual field defect affecting half of the visual field.
- Driving with HH presents challenges due to altered visual scanning patterns.
- Understanding head scanning behavior is crucial for assessing driving safety in individuals with HH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of homonymous hemianopia (HH) on head scanning behaviors at intersections.
- To evaluate the role of insufficient head scanning in pedestrian detection failures for drivers with HH.
Main Methods:
- A driving simulator study involving 14 drivers with HH and 12 normally sighted (NV) drivers.
- Quantified head scanning at T-intersections with stop/yield signs.
- Assessed pedestrian detection and analyzed the relationship between head scanning and detection failures.
Main Results:
- HH drivers initiated scans towards their blind hemifield more often and increased overall scans to the blind side.
- Head scan magnitudes were significantly smaller in HH drivers compared to NV drivers.
- Detection failures for blind-side pedestrians occurred due to absent or inadequate head scans.
Conclusions:
- Drivers with HH exhibit compensatory scanning patterns but lack sufficient scan magnitude.
- Inadequate head scanning directly leads to blind-side pedestrian detection failures at intersections.
- Scanning training focused on improving scan magnitude may enhance safety for drivers with HH.
