Identifying the Driving Factors that Affect Judgments of Head-on Collisions

Abstract

Head-on collisions result in a substantial number of fatalities. They occur more frequently on rural roads than urban roads, and more frequently on straight roads than curved roads. We investigated the effects of several factors on judgments about head-on collisions. Scenes depicted self-motion on a collision course with a car in the opposing lane. The scene ended before the collision occurred. Participants predicted whether a collision would occur. Results indicated that judgments were affected by the presence or absence of a centerline that divided the road, by the speed and distance of the oncoming car, and by how long the oncoming car was presented. The pattern of results suggests that head-on collisions on rural roads may decrease when a centerline is present, and when speed limits are reduced. However, collision-warning systems may be needed to reduce head-on collisions on roads with relatively high speed limits, especially during driver-distractions.