This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Cognitive distraction affects peripheral detection more in older subjects
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
“Older drivers are likely to be involved in more crashes than younger drivers,” Bowers said at an academy-sponsored press conference. “They often report they never saw the other vehicle.”
She and her colleagues evaluated 24 younger subjects between the ages of 18 and 40 years and 24 older subjects at least 60 years old as they viewed images of T-intersections from the viewpoint of a driver approaching the intersection, according to the study.
Bowers explained that they used a test with central fixation and a boxed letter and motorcycle. The motorcycle appeared in different locations in the various images, with or without other traffic.
Subjects were presented with three levels of cognitive “load” or distraction. "No load" involved fixating on a central cross, "low load" was reading out a random letter at fixation and "high load" was indicating the letter seen on the previous image.
“The low level of distraction had no effect on the younger subjects, but a more substantial effect on the older ones,” Bowers said.
The high load reduced detection rates by 8% for the younger subjects and 17% for the older subjects, according to the study.
“Cognitive distraction had a greater effect on peripheral detection rates of older than younger subjects,” the researchers concluded. “Performing a straightforward memory task substantially reduced detection rates of older drivers even when the target was only 5 degrees from fixation." – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO
Reference:
Bowers AR, et al. The effects of age and cognitive distraction on peripheral detection at intersections. Presented at: American Academy of Optometry meeting; Chicago; Oct. 10-14, 2017.
Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures. The study was funded in part by grants from the NIH.