Peer Passenger Influences on Male Adolescent Drivers' Visual Scanning Behavior During Simulated Driving

Abstract

Purpose There is a higher likelihood of crashes and fatalities when an adolescent drives with peer passengers, especially for male drivers and male passengers. Simulated driving of male adolescent drivers with male peer passengers was studied to examine passenger influences on distraction and inattention. Methods Male adolescents drove in a high-fidelity driving simulator with a male confederate who posed either as a risk-accepting or risk-averse passenger. Drivers’ eye-movements were recorded. The visual scanning behavior of the drivers was compared when driving alone versus when driving with a passenger, and when driving with a risk-accepting versus a risk-averse passenger. Results The visual scanning of a driver significantly narrowed horizontally and vertically when driving with a peer passenger. There were no significant differences in the times the drivers’ eyes were off the forward roadway when driving with a passenger versus when driving alone. Some significant correlations were found between personality characteristics and the outcome measures. Conclusions The presence of a male peer passenger was associated with a reduction in the visual scanning range of male adolescent drivers. This reduction could be a result of potential cognitive load imposed on the driver due to the presence of a passenger and the real or perceived normative influences or expectations from the passenger. Implications and contribution The presence of male peer passengers was associated with deficient visual scanning in male adolescent drivers. Such reduced scanning behavior is evident in drivers with high cognitive load. Further investigation of passenger influences on adolescent drivers should include examination of distraction and inattention aspects of passenger influence.

Peer passenger norms and pressure: Experimental effects on simulated driving among teenage males

“…Given that the participants were significantly more likely to continue through the intersection when a risk-accepting passenger was present, versus a risk-averse passenger, and that this was accompanied by a significant moderating effect of social influences in the presence of a passenger, it can be concluded that the effect was more likely due to greater risk taking; however, the main effect of passenger presence suggests there may have also been some other effect associated with the mere presence of a passenger (e.g., inattention, distraction, cognitive load). Overall, these results generally support prior studies, demonstrating the effects of peer presence in promoting risky driving behaviors among teens (Ouimet et al, 2013; Pradhan et al, 2014; Shepherd et al, 2011; Simons-Morton et al, 2014; White & Caird, 2010), and generalization of these results to real-world driving further establishes social influences in the form of injunctive norms reinforced by peer pressure as a potential contributor to the observed association between peer-passenger presence and fatal crash involvement of teen drivers (L.-H. Chen et al, 2000; Ouimet et al, 2010; Williams, 2003). …”

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“…The effect of peer presence on teenage males' (age 16–18 years) simulated driving behavior was investigated by comparing driving alone to driving in the presence of a risk‐accepting peer and a risk‐averse peer (Simons‐Morton et al., ). Evidence for a general effect of peer presence was found, which is consistent with prior studies showing that driving with a peer leads to more risky driving (e.g., Allen & Brown, ; Pradhan et al., ). However, driving with a risk‐accepting peer increased risky driving more than driving in the presence of a risk‐averse peer.…”

Testing a structural model of young driver willingness to uptake Smartphone Driver Support Systems

“…The salience of the peer group in influencing norms, decision-making and behaviours for this particular age group (18-24) has been widely documented, even within the driving literature (e.g. see Pradhan et al, 2014). Defined here as the degree to which a young driver perceives that peers, family members or co-workers believes he or she should use the technology in question, social influence has been included as a core construct.…”