Proefschrift Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

Diss. Leidschendam : Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Verkeersveiligheid SWOV, 2011

Driving most of the times, is a self-paced task. Based on their expectations of how things will develop in the near future, drivers proactively influence the road and traffic situation. They do this by looking in particular directions from where possible hazards may materialize (the areas that contain latent hazards) and by adjusting their speed and if possible their lateral position. Young novice drivers are not very good in proactively controlling the road and traffic situation. This is one of the causes they are overrepresented in crashes. Firstly, this thesis aims to clarify why young novice drivers are not very good in hazard anticipation. Is this mainly because their predictions about how things will develop in the near future are not so good or mainly because they accept more risks than older drivers do, as they do not 'feel' the risks so easily and/or are not motivated to accept only low levels of risk? Secondly, this thesis aims to find a practical method to test the skill to detect and recognize latent hazards, and a separate method to test the element of risk acceptance in hazard anticipation. Thirdly, this thesis aims to find an effective method to train hazard anticipation.