Impact of Red Light Running Camera Flashes on Younger and Older Driver Brake Response Times

University  Florida State University
Principal Investigators  Timothy Wright
PI Contact Information  Department of Psychology
Phone: 850.644.6686
Email: timwright@psy.fsu.edu
Funding Source(s)and Amounts  Provided(by each agency or organization)  USDOT: $7,200
Florida State University: $3,600
Total Project Cost  $10,800
Agency ID or Contract Number  DTRT13-G-UTC42-03317-34417
Start and End Dates 1/9/2014 - 12/23/2014
Brief Description of Research Project 

Initial evidence suggests that Red Light running Camera (RLRC) flashes attract both attention and the eyes away from safety-relevant driving information. Older adults are likely to be even more susceptible to the distracting effects of RLRC flashes as this age group often exhibits poorer attentional and eye movement control compared to younger adults. In addition, older adults' increased susceptibility to glare and altered dark adaptation processes may increase the distracting effects of RLRC flashes even further in nighttime scenes in which the flare is more salient. The proposed research will utilize simulated driving scenes to determine if older adults are differentially distracted by RLRC flashes, and whether this increased distractibility is more pronounced for nighttime scenes. Results of the proposed research will be informative regarding whether situational and individual difference factors modulate the degree to which RLRC flashes are distracting. In addition, results of the research will have implications for the design of future driving simulator studies to investigate what the perceptual and attentional effects of RLRC flashes mean for the driving performance and safety of both younger and older adults. This student pilot project is capable of being competed and published within a short timeframe and is intended to provide the groundwork for a full-scale ASAP proposal for the next round of funding.

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Impacts/Benefits of Implementation (actual, not anticipated) See Final Report
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