Reaction times as an index of visual conspicuity when driving at night

Abstract Conspicuity refers to the visibility of objects that are either close to threshold or viewed in a cluttered environment. Conventional, threshold‐based tests of vision are unlikely to be related to target visibility, because visual systems behave differently under supra‐threshold and close‐to‐threshold conditions, or when low luminance levels are used. In these experiments, Reaction Times (RTs) are tested under a wide range of contrasts, luminances and spatial frequencies commonly encountered in the real world. We show that RTs are closely related to sensitivity and can therefore provide a method of measuring supra‐threshold visual performance. The data are interpreted in terms of visual performance when driving, where a reduction in target visibility leads to increases in processing time.

[1]  D Shinar,et al.  Field Dependence and Driver Visual Search Behavior , 1978, Human factors.

[2]  Bruce J. Avolio,et al.  Individual Differences in Information-Processing Ability as a Predictor of Motor Vehicle Accidents , 1985 .

[3]  R. A. Hargroves.  Road lighting-as calculated and as in service , 1981 .

[4]  D. A. Owens,et al.  SELECTIVE VISUAL DEGRADATION AND THE OLDER DRIVER , 1996 .

[5]  C. Johnson,et al.  Effects of luminance and stimulus distance on accommodation and visual resolution. , 1976, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[6]  K. Ball,et al.  Visual attention problems as a predictor of vehicle crashes in older drivers. , 1993, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[7]  J. Wood,et al.  Elderly Drivers and Simulated Visual Impairment , 1995, Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry.

[8]  B Lachenmayr,et al.  [Reduced visual capacity increases the risk of accidents in street traffic]. , 1998, Der Ophthalmologe : Zeitschrift der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft.

[9]  John D. Bullough,et al.  Evaluating light source efficacy under mesopic conditions using reaction times , 1997 .

[10]  C. Scialfa,et al.  Age, target-distractor similarity, and visual search. , 1998, Experimental aging research.

[11]  W. Charman.  Vision and driving--a literature review and commentary. , 1997, Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians.

[12]  M J Allen,et al.  ACTUAL PEDESTRIAN VISIBILITY AND THE PEDESTRIAN'S ESTIMATE OF HIS OWN VISIBILITY* , 1970, American journal of optometry and archives of American Academy of Optometry.

[13]  C Bonnet,et al.  The Piéron function in the threshold region , 2000, Perception & psychophysics.

[14]  B. Hills.  Vision, Visibility, and Perception in Driving , 1980, Perception.

[15]  H Summala,et al.  Fatal Accidents among Car and Truck Drivers: Effects of Fatigue, Age, and Alcohol Consumption , 1994, Human factors.

[16]  P. Everett Fergenson,et al.  The Relationship between Information Processing and Driving Accident and Violation Record , 1971 .

[17]  B. Lachenmayr,et al.  Reduced visual function causes higher risks of traffic accidents , 1998, Der Ophthalmologe.

[18]  K W Gish,et al.  Effect of Luminance on the Relation Between Accommodation and Convergence , 1991, Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry.

[19]  M. Sivak.  The Information That Drivers Use: Is it Indeed 90% Visual? , 1996, Perception.

[20]  Michael Sivak,et al.  Differentiation of Visibility and Alcohol as Contributors to Twilight Road Fatalities , 1996, Hum. Factors.

[21]  Ian J. Murray,et al.  RETINAL ADAPTATION UNDER NIGHT-TIME DRIVING CONDITIONS , 1999 .

[22]  Charman Wn,et al.  Static accommodation and the minimum angle of resolution. , 1986 .

[23]  C. Owsley,et al.  Aging, senile miosis and spatial contrast sensitivity at low luminance , 1988, Vision Research.

[24]  Andrew W Gale,et al.  Unpublished. Building Equality in Construction, Final Report to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions , 1990 .

[25]  M. Sloane,et al.  Visual processing impairment and risk of motor vehicle crash among older adults. , 1998, JAMA.

[26]  B Lachenmayr,et al.  [What visual information does the automobile driver need for safe driving in street traffic?]. , 1994, Der Ophthalmologe : Zeitschrift der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft.

[27]  W N Charman,et al.  CHANGES IN REFRACTIVE ERROR UNDER NIGHT-TIME DRIVING CONDITIONS , 1993 .

[28]  R. Mansfield,et al.  Latency functions in human vision. , 1973, Vision research.

[29]  W. L. Mihal,et al.  Individual differences in perceptual information processing and their relation to automobile accident involvement. , 1976, The Journal of applied psychology.

[30]  I. J Murray,et al.  Neurophysiological interpretation of human visual reaction times: effect of contrast, spatial frequency and luminance , 2000, Neuropsychologia.

[31]  A. Buser,et al.  What kind of visual information does the driver need to drive safely in road traffic , 1994 .

[32]  W N Charman.  Night myopia and driving. , 1996, Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians.

[33]  W N Charman,et al.  Static Accommodation and the Minimum Angle of Resolution , 1986, American journal of optometry and physiological optics.

[34]  W. Charman,et al.  Accommodation and acuity under night-driving illumination levels. , 1997, Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians.

[35]  R A Hargroves,et al.  ROAD LIGHTING AND ACCIDENTS , 1980 .

[36]  J. Roufs.  Dynamic properties of vision. V. Perception lag and reaction time in relation to flicker and flash thresholds. , 1974, Vision research.