Driving With Hemianopia X: Effects of Cross Traffic on Gaze Behaviors and Pedestrian Responses at Intersections

Xu, Jing; Baliutaviciute, Vilte; Swan, Garrett; Bowers, Alex R. · 2022 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.938140

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Summary

This study investigates how monitoring cross-traffic influences the gaze behaviors and pedestrian collision avoidance responses of drivers with hemianopic field loss (HFL). HFL, often resulting from stroke or traumatic brain injury, causes loss of half the visual field, creating significant hazards at intersections where wide scanning is required. While prior research identified blind-side scanning deficits in HFL drivers, this study specifically examined whether the presence of cross-traffic vehicles could serve as visual cues to improve scanning patterns and safety responses. The researchers hypothesized that fixating on cross-traffic, particularly from both sides, would enhance blind-side scanning and reduce unsafe responses to pedestrians. The study utilized a high-fidelity driving simulator with 16 participants with HFL and 16 age-matched controls with normal vision (NV). Participants completed two urban drives containing 30 critical intersection events where a pedestrian suddenly ran across the road, requiring braking to avoid collision. These events were categorized into three scenarios: no cross-traffic, one approaching car from the side opposite the pedestrian, or two approaching cars from both sides simultaneously. Eye-tracking data recorded gaze scans and fixations, while vehicle telemetry measured post-encroachment time to classify responses as safe or unsafe. Statistical analyses employed linear and general linear mixed models to compare gaze metrics and safety outcomes across groups and scenarios. Results indicated that HFL drivers performed more frequent and larger gaze scans toward their blind side compared to their seeing side. Crucially, HFL drivers who fixated on cross-traffic cars from both sides exhibited gaze behaviors and unsafe response rates most similar to NV drivers. Specifically, fixating on cars from both sides led to more numerous and larger gaze scans compared to fixating on one or no cars. HFL drivers also demonstrated compensatory fixation behaviors, such as faster time to first fixation and longer fixation durations, when no car was present on the seeing side. Furthermore, HFL drivers had lower rates of unsafe responses to pedestrians crossing from the blind side when they fixated on cross-traffic, particularly when cars were present on both sides. The findings suggest that cross-traffic vehicles act as effective visual reminders and reference points that guide HFL drivers to scan their blind side more thoroughly. By proactively checking for cross-traffic from both directions, drivers with HFL can mitigate scanning deficits and improve safety outcomes at intersections. The study concludes that training HFL drivers to prioritize monitoring cross-traffic could be a vital safety strategy, helping them maintain awareness of hazards in their blind field and reducing the risk of collisions with pedestrians.

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Topics

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• looked but failed to see
• driver vru interaction
• peripheral attention
• pedestrian behavior perception
• eye movements scanning
• useful field of view