Selective Attention and Error Proneness while Driving: Research Using a Conjunctive Visual Search Task

Selective attention is a fundamental ability for safe driving. The objective of this work was to analyze the relationship between selective attention and a predisposition to experience inattention errors while driving. Thirty drivers from the City of Mar del Plata, Argentina, participated in the study and completed a selective attention task (Conjunctive Visual Search Task, CVST), and a driver inattention scale (Attention-related Driving Errors Scale, ARDES). Pearson correlations were calculated between the ARDES and the CVST performance measures (errors and reaction times). A consistent relationship was observed between CVST performance and the scores reported by the ARDES. Drivers with higher driver inattention proneness tended to commit a greater number of errors in target identification while also presenting lower reaction times. The results provide evidence of the possible role of selective attention in driver inattention, and illustrate the potential usefulness of a visual search measure in the area of driving assessment.