Driver distraction, crosstalk, and spatial reasoning

The hypothesis is explored that the precise influence of a secondary, unrelated, spatial reasoning task on driving performance also depends on the specific spatial cues used in this task, compared to those currently emphasized by the primary driving task. In a laboratory experiment, participants were presented with questions about spoken (familiar) city names while driving. The questions either required them to reason spatially about the cities or to process the same city names only acoustically (i.e., remembering and repeating one of the names). Amount of driver distraction was measured by means of a standardized tool called the Lane-Change Task (LCT) using a PC-based driving simulator. Results of the experiment showed that the spatial reasoning secondary task was more distracting than the acoustic one. In addition, participants performed worse on the LCT when switching to a right lane than when switching to a left lane. It is concluded that the results confirm an interpretation in terms of (in)compatible spatial cues emphasized simultaneously by primary and secondary task, but that alternative interpretations are also possible. The moderating influences of two cognitive ability variables on, and potential practical applications of, these findings are also addressed.

► The effect of spatial reasoning, not related to driving, on driving performance.
► Participants think about the most western of two familiar cities.
► At the same time, they switch to the right or left in the Lane-Change Test.
► Accuracy was worse when switching to the right than to the left.
► This result may reflect effect of crosstalk. Other explanations are also possible.