Drivers' Assessment of Hazard Perception

Encountering dangerous situations while driving is ubiquitous. Existing research suggest that specific populations such as, novice drivers are more prone to errors in detecting and responding to driving hazards. Hazard perception training programs have been developed in attempts to improve or accelerate the acquisition of such skills. However, drivers’ attitudes and knowledge regarding vulnerable populations and hazard perception training programs remain largely unknown. Three-hundred-five participants completed an online survey assessing their beliefs about influential factors affecting hazard detection and response, perceived usefulness and preferred types of training programs, and self-assessment of driving skills. Although many existing training programs are computer-based, participants preferred on-road hazard perception training. Such findings may assist in improving existing programs, which currently fail to show near- and far-transfer effects. Similarly, novice drivers reported being most likely to engage in training programs – possibly linked to their reported high value of the usefulness of such programs and awareness of their vulnerability to commit errors. Although autonomous vehicles should mitigate these errors, researchers and government officials suggest automated vehicles will not be commercially available for 10 years. Therefore, the results of the present study provide insight into drivers’ beliefs about dangerous situations, which may prove useful in developing and improving training programs aimed at mitigating crash risk.