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Driving Performance Under Heat Exposure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies
Mojtaba Khosravi Danesh1,2, Mohammad Reza Monazzam2, Mostafa Hadei1,3
1Climate Change and Health Research Center (CCHRC), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
Human Factors
|July 23, 2026
Summary
High heat impairs drivers' reaction time (RT), increasing road safety risks. More research is needed to understand heat
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Human Factors
- Road Safety Research
Background:
- Climate change is increasing global temperatures.
- Rising temperatures are linked to more road accidents and injuries.
- No comprehensive review has assessed heat's direct impact on driving performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and appraise evidence on heat exposure and driving performance.
- To synthesize findings through meta-analysis where possible.
- To identify evidence gaps in heat's effects on drivers.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) registered on PROSPERO.
- Searched major databases and grey literature up to October 2024.
- Included 7 experimental studies with 207 participants; appraised evidence quality.
Main Results:
- Moderate confidence that heat exposure impairs drivers' reaction time (RT).
- Meta-analysis showed significant impairment in RT (SMD = 0.72).
- Insufficient evidence for heat's impact on lateral/longitudinal control, signal detection, or violations.
Conclusions:
- Heat exposure likely impairs driver reaction time.
- Evidence is insufficient to assess heat's impact on other driving performance metrics.
- Highlights critical evidence gaps for public health and road safety interventions.
