Pedestrians Out of Sight
December 12, 2011
Uncategorized
Elderly drivers have a limited field of view and are half as likely to see pedestrians on sidewalks and the shoulder of the road, say researchers at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
In a 2011 study using traffic simulators and videos, researchers found that those aged over 65 had difficulty perceiving approximately half of the pedestrian-related hazards when compared with younger drivers.
The over-65 drivers took longer to respond to pedestrians and used their brakes half as often. They did, however, drive almost 20 percent slower, giving them more time to process the potential dangers, even if they couldn’t detect them as quickly.
“These findings strengthen the notion that elderly drivers, shown to have a narrower useful field of view, may also be limited in their ability to detect hazards, particularly when outside the center of their view,” says researcher Tal Oron-Gilad.
“Authorities should be aware of these limitations and increase elderly drivers’ awareness of pedestrians by posting traffic signs or dedicated lane markings that inform them of upcoming hazards.”
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