Visual Behavior of Novice and Experienced Drivers

A new and simple technique of simultaneous measurements was developed to investigate changes in drivers’ eye fixations. Using an eye marker system and reference targets mounted on the front bumper of a vehicle, the visual behavior of novice drivers was compared with that of experienced drivers to find visual cues of skillful handling.

It was found that the increase in horizontal angular displacement of fixations is approximately linear with the increase in the head displacement. Coefficient of determination for the novice groups is smaller than that for the experienced groups. Vertical angular displacement of fixations was almost the same for both the novice and experienced drivers, but head displacement for the novice drivers was the head-up type and that of the experienced drivers was the general or direct type.