Dissociation between driving performance and drivers' subjective estimates of performance and workload in dual-task conditions

IntroductionThe current study measured how concurrent driving and in-vehicle activities of different levels of engagement varied in terms of performance and subjective estimates of demand and performance.MethodIn this test track study, 41 younger and older drivers completed a series of cognitive tasks while driving an instrumented vehicle. One task involved an engaging guessing game where drivers tried to guess the identity of an object. The other task involved a simple mental arithmetic task.ResultsWe observed some dissociation between drivers' performance and their subjective reports. For instance, drivers tended to estimate their performance as better for the more engaging guessing task than the arithmetic task, though their performance was actually worse. At the same time, subjective estimates of workload across the two tasks did not vary in the dual-task condition even though they did in the single-task baseline conditions, suggesting that drivers failed to account for the added demands in dual-task situations.ConclusionsWe discuss the implications of these findings for driver safety.Impact on IndustryCrashes due to distraction can carry tremendous costs for employers, in terms of injury, disability, and loss of potentially productive work years, whether these crashes occur on or off the job.