Executive Function Capacities, Negative Driving Behavior and Crashes in Young Drivers

Abstract

Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of injury and death in adolescents, with teen drivers three times more likely to be in a fatal crash when compared to adults. One potential contributing risk factor is the ongoing development of executive functioning with maturation of the frontal lobe through adolescence and into early adulthood. Atypical development resulting in poor or impaired executive functioning (as in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) has been associated with risky driving and crash outcomes. However, executive function broadly encompasses a number of capacities and domains (e.g., working memory, inhibition, set-shifting). In this review, we examine the role of various executive function sub-processes in adolescent driver behavior and crash rates. We summarize the state of methods for measuring executive control and driving outcomes and highlight the great heterogeneity in tools with seemingly contradictory findings. Lastly, we offer some suggestions for improved methods and practical ways to compensate for the effects of poor executive function (such as in-vehicle assisted driving devices). Given the key role that executive function plays in safe driving, this review points to an urgent need for systematic research to inform development of more effective training and interventions for safe driving among adolescents.

The Relationship Between Cognition and Sensorimotor Behavior in an F1 Driving Simulation: An Explorative Study

“…Based on our understanding of EF, which aligns with the framework by Miyake et al (2000), a recent review by Walshe et al (2017) stated that, out of the three core components of EF, working memory, inhibition, and set shifting, the latter was reported only in very few studies and none found a relationship with driving performance in a driving simulation. In contrast, inhibition, particularly in combination with working memory, responsible for governing multitasking, seems to be related to driving performance (Walshe et al, 2017). For example, Ross et al (2015) showed that poor performance on inhibitory tasks and poor working memory together contributed to unsteady driving performance.…”

The Potential for Autonomous Vehicle Technologies to Address Barriers to Driving for Individuals with Autism

“…42 Teenagers develop executive functioning skills as the frontal lobe of their brain matures into early adulthood. 43 During this time, vehicle collisions tend to decline and plateau at the age of 25. 44 The review in this section includes the four elements of executive functioning-working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and emotion regulation-that are identified most frequently in the literature on autism and driving.…”

Menyalip – antara Karakter, Tipe Visual dan Jenis Motor

“…Dalam psikologi lalu lintas ada sejumlah teori besar mengulas mengenai kontribusi atensi, memori, dan tentu saja spatial cognition pada perilaku mengendarai kendaraan bermotor (Trif, 2015). Spatial cognition merupakan kemampuan dalam membuat terkaan ketika di jalan raya, maintaining dan fokus pada beberapa stimulus termasuk jarak dan kecepatan, melakukan kontrol diri dan berpindah dari satu atensi objek ke yang lain (Walshe, McIntosh, Romer, & Winston, 2017 (Leather, 2009).…”