Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

Inattentional Blindness: Why Drivers May Fail to See Motorcycles in Plain Sight

posted by mrpg on Saturday January 06 2018, @06:09AM   Printer-friendly
from the ohoh dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

The disproportionately high number of motorcycle-related traffic accidents may be linked to the way the human brain processes—or fails to process—information, according to new research published in Human Factors, "Allocating Attention to Detect Motorcycles: The Role of Inattentional Blindness." The study examines how the phenomenon of inattentional blindness, or a person's failure to notice an unexpected object located in plain sight, might explain the prevalence of looked-but-failed-to-see (LBFTS) crashes, the most common type of collision involving motorcycles.

According to human factors/ergonomics researchers Kristen Pammer, Stephanie Sabadas, and Stephanie Lentern, LBFTS crashes are particularly troublesome because, despite clear conditions and the lack of other hazards or distractions, drivers will look in the direction of the oncoming motorcycle - and in some cases appear to look directly at the motorcycle - but still pull out into its path.

The study authors suggest training drivers to be more alert for motorcycles.

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Inattentional Blindness: Why Drivers May Fail to See Motorcycles in Plain Sight | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 111 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Saturday January 06 2018, @07:17AM (3 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Saturday January 06 2018, @07:17AM (#618657) Journal

    It totally has nothing to do with the fact that they drive like like crazy, speeding and lane splitting.

    Yes. Bad driving can make the problem worse, but it's long been a real thing. It was part of my drivers ed course, for example, on how to deal with (or even to look for) motorbikes on the road.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Insightful=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Insightful' Modifier   0  
    Total Score:   2  

  • (Score: 2) by frojack on Saturday January 06 2018, @07:39AM (2 children)

    by frojack (1554) on Saturday January 06 2018, @07:39AM (#618662) Journal

    My driver's education Course covered that too. That was back in the late 60s. So whatever they wewe teaching all these years clearly wasn't working.

    If they've been teaching something the same way for 50 year's and we still have the problem, maybe it's time to teach a different method.

    --
    No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.

    • (Score: 5, Insightful) by khallow on Saturday January 06 2018, @08:05AM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Saturday January 06 2018, @08:05AM (#618672) Journal
      Teaching is not the same thing as learning. I suppose if everyone rode a motorcycle as part of the class, that might do.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 06 2018, @08:32AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 06 2018, @08:32AM (#618679)

      I still fondly remember my driver's ed teacher in High School referring to them as "Donorcycles".

      Well, during that day, a lot of riders did not wear helmets, so traffic interactions commonly ended up with an intact body but smashed brain...

      Great source for spare kidneys!