Time-to-arrival estimations to simulated pedestrians

Driving a vehicle requires individuals' awareness of their surroundings to prevent collisions with other vehicles, objects, and pedestrians. While previous research has investigated time-to-arrival (TTA) in real-world and simulated driving situations, there is little information on how pedestrian reflectance and time of day impact TTA. The present study investigated how vehicle velocity, viewing time, pedestrian reflectance, and time of day affected individuals' estimates of TTA. We used recorded driver-perspective footage of a vehicle approaching simulated pedestrians at different velocities during daytime and nighttime. We found that TTA was consistently underestimated, with the most accurate TTA estimates occurring at the lowest vehicle velocity. We also found TTA accuracy was better during daytime conditions. Pedestrian reflectance did not produce a significant main effect, but it did interact significantly with both velocity and time of day. These results suggest that multiple variables are responsible for TTA estimation. A better understanding of what factors may affect TTA estimates helps both researchers who investigate the phenomenon and laypersons who strive for safe driving practices.