An Exploratory Study: Performance Differences Between Novice Teen and Senior Drivers Using Interactive Exercises on a Driving Simulator

Clinicians who do not specialize in driving have a need for simple assessment tools for both the aging population and new drivers. While many researchers focus on complex driving scenarios presented on simulators or on-road driving, this exploratory study examines the use of interactive exercises presented using a driving simulator to determine if there are differences in the speed at which senior and novice teen drivers respond to the steering wheel and pedal stimuli. This gap is addressed by evaluating performance differences between 34 senior drivers (over 60) and 17 novice teen drivers (ages 16–17) using interactive exercises with a driving simulator: Reaction Timer Steering©, Reaction Timer Stoplight©, and Stoplight and Steering©. Overall, teens had faster reaction times and fewer errors than seniors, yet seniors demonstrated greater improvement over time. Reaction times decreased for both age groups using the Reaction Timer Stoplight exercise. For the Stoplight and Steering exercise, significant differences between the groups were identified for both the number of errors as well as their reaction times. The findings from this exploratory study suggest the potential value of using driving simulators for assessment and potentially training the motor movements associated with driving across different age groups. By providing safe and controlled environments, simulators offer value to clinicians and educators for evaluations, interventions, and skill screenings to potentially improve safety for at-risk driver populations.