Modeling driver information transmission during turning at unsignalized intersections: a driving simulator study

Area of Science:

• Road safety
• Human factors in driving
• Gerontology

Background:

• The aging population is increasing the proportion of older drivers.
• Older drivers (OD-ERs) exhibit a higher accident tendency at unsignalized intersections due to improper driving behaviors.
• Understanding turning behavior differences is crucial for enhancing older driver safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and compare the turning behavior differences between older drivers (OD-ERs) and young and middle-aged drivers (YM-ERs).
• To develop an information transfer model using Petri nets to describe and evaluate driver behavior characteristics.
• To identify specific limitations in older drivers' behavior to improve driving safety at unsignalized intersections.

Main Methods:

• Virtual unsignalized intersection scenarios were created for driver testing.
• Vehicle operation, driver visual behavior, and physiological data were collected and analyzed.
• A Petri net-based information transfer model was constructed to represent turning behavior.

Main Results:

• Young and middle-aged drivers (YM-ERs) outperformed older drivers (OD-ERs) across all measured data types, with significant differences in vehicle operation (p < 0.05).
• The information transfer model identified saccade behavior as a primary limitation for OD-ERs, causing transmission delays and constrained information flow, especially during left turns.
• OD-ERs demonstrated weaker turning ability, including vehicle operation, information processing, and judgment.

Conclusions:

• Older drivers exhibit diminished turning capabilities compared to younger counterparts, particularly in complex intersection scenarios.
• The developed turning information transfer model effectively describes driver behavior and evaluates driving quality.
• Identifying specific behavioral deficits, such as saccade limitations, allows for targeted training to improve older driver safety at unsignalized intersections.