The Effect of Aging and Ground Texture on the Control of Braking

In the current study the authors examined age-related difference in the use of visual information in regulating braking. Younger and older drivers were presented with computer generated 3-D scenes simulating driving on a roadway towards three red stop signs at a constant speed. The task of the drivers was to control braking and to stop as close as possible to the stop signs. The texture density on the ground, initial time to contact (TTC) and initial distance from the stop signs were manipulated. The authors found that older drivers had larger mean stop distance and lower crash rate than younger drivers. In addition, older drivers, as compared to younger drivers, tended to regulate more frequently at values larger than -0.5 and less frequently at values smaller than -0.5. These results, taken together, suggest that older drivers may use a more conservative strategy to control braking in order to avoid collisions.