Overload depending on driving experience and situation complexity: Which strategies faced with a pedestrian crossing?

•We examine the influence of situation complexity and driving experience on subjective workload and driving performance.•We identify effective avoidance maneuvers faced with a hazard pedestrian appearance.•A driving simulation study is carried out.•The situation complexity and the lack of experience increase the subjective workload.•The swerving maneuver is the most effective strategy to avoid a pedestrian.

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of situation complexity and driving experience on subjective workload and driving performance, and the less costly and the most effective strategies faced with a hazard pedestrian crossing. Four groups of young drivers (15 traditionally trained novices, 12 early-trained novices, 15 with three years of experience and 15 with a minimum of five years of experience) were randomly assigned to three situations (simple, moderately complex and very complex) including unexpected pedestrian crossings, in a driving simulator. The subjective workload was collected by the NASA-TLX questionnaire after each situation. The main results confirmed that the situation complexity and the lack of experience increased the subjective workload. Moreover, the subjective workload, the avoidance strategies and the reaction times influenced the number of collisions depending on situation complexity and driving experience. These results must be taken into account to target the prevention actions.