Identifying risky drivers with simulated driving

<p><b>Objective:</b> The present study aimed to examine whether high-risk drivers differ from low-risk drivers in driving behavior in a simulated environment.</p> <p><b>Method:</b> The 2 risk groups including 36 drivers (18 males and 18 females) performed driving tasks in a simulated environment. The simulated driving behaviors are compared between the 2 risk groups.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> The high-risk drivers drove much faster and exhibited larger offsets of the steering wheel than did the low-risk drivers in events without incidents. Additionally, the high-risk drivers used turn signals and horns less frequently than the low-risk drivers.</p> <p><b>Conclusions:</b> The present study revealed that the high-risk group differed from the low-risk group in driving behavior in a simulated environment. These results also suggest that simulated driving tasks might be useful tools for the evaluation of drivers’ potential risks.