Date Presented 03/28/20
This poster will illustrate the results of a two x two (old/young and on-road/simulator) repeated-measures study on hazard detection. The purpose is to analyze driving performance at night by combining eye-tracking technology and driving simulation to analyze on-road scanning behavior, visual attention, glance patterns, and hazard detection. Validity of driving simulators in predicting on-road performance with older-adult drivers in a safe and cost-effective manner will be discussed.
Primary Author and Speaker: Juliette Leonardo
Additional Authors and Speakers: Anne Dickerson
Contributing Authors: Mary Grace McDonald
BACKGROUND: Driving is a valued IADL for older adults and is a complex combination of cognitive, visual, and motor skills that gradually decline with age1. In 2016, 290,000 adults aged 65+ were hospitalized from motor vehicle crashes with an average of 794 injured and 20 killed per day2. OTs have a vital role to assist in determining/addressing fitness to drive, reducing risk of crashes, and research ways to address occupational needs3.
PURPOSE: This research seeks to analyze older adults’ driving performance at night by combining eye tracking technology and driving simulation to analyze on-road scanning behavior, visual attention, glance patterns, and hazard detection. Research questions will determine if there are significant differences in hazard detection between: 1)on-road and simulated drives, 2) older adults and younger adults, or any interaction effect.
DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: A 2x2 repeated-measures factorial design is being used. Participants include old and young healthy community living adults obtained through convenience sampling. A power analysis indicated 15 per group was the minimum needed (n=30).
METHOD: Instruments include wearable Tobii Pro eye tracking glasses which track and record pupil glances, a STISIM driving simulator, and each participant’s personal vehicle. Night driving conditions (i.e., on-road & simulator) are counterbalanced. For the on-road, three OT students are the simulated hazards at three locations. Posed to cross the street, the “hazard” stares at their cellphone, although they do not actually walk. The three locations include a three-way stop sign, a four-way intersection with a traffic light, and between two parked vehicles. For the simulator, participants complete a practice drive(s), and a short night drive that includes three similar instances of the standardized pedestrian hazard. Outcomes examined from the eye tracking recording in the Tobii Pro Analysis software include total fixation duration, fixation count, total visit duration, and visit count. These variables were compared between age groups (old v. young) and conditions (on-road v. simulation).
ANALYTICAL METHODS: Repeated measures ANOVA, two sample t-tests, and a paired samples t-test were used in preliminary data.
RESULTS: In analysis of preliminary data, when comparing hazard detection between driving conditions, most eye tracking metrics indicated no significant differences between on-road and simulated driving. Comparison of the eye tracking measures indicated few differences between older and younger adults’ hazard detection behavior.
CONCLUSION: The majority of findings from preliminary data analysis indicated that hazard detection behavior was similar across the driving conditions. Therefore, this supports the use of driving simulators as a safe mechanism to observe driving habits, behaviors, and mistakes without risk to the driver, evaluator, or environment. Additionally, these preliminary findings indicate that, despite age-related visual decline, older adults detect hazards similarly to younger adults, especially when assessing on-road performance.
IMPACT STATEMENT: There is no OT research using eye tracking and night driving behavior. If we can understand the processes of hazard detection, especially at night, interventions using simulation and/or other methods can be developed to help older adults safely drive for as long and in as many contexts as possible. It will influence the field of OT by providing knowledge that can help us keep older adults driving as safely and for as long as possible.
References
1. Kaleem, M. A., Munoz, B. E., Munro, C. A., Gower, E. W., & West, S. K. (2012). Visual characteristics of elderly night drivers in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation Driving Study. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 53(9), 5161-7. doi:10.1167/iovs.12-9866
2. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2017). Motor vehicle safety: Older adult drivers [website]. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/older_adult_drivers/index.html
3. American Occupational Therapy Association. (2008). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (2nd ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62, 625–683. doi: 10.5014/ajot.62.6.625
