Individual Differences in Information-Processing Ability as a Predictor of Motor Vehicle Accidents

Abstract

The objectives of this investigation were two-fold: to replicate and extend prior research that has provided evidence to support the use of information-processing measures as potential indices for predicting motor vehicle accident involvement and to test a newly developed measure of visual selective attention for predicting accident involvement. Seventy-two drivers (aged from 28 to 59) were tested on three measures of information processing. In accordance with prior research, performance on two measures of selective attention was significantly correlated with individual accident rates. Information-processing measures are discussed with regard to their possible use in the prediction of motor vehicle accidents.