Subjective cognitive failures predict hazard perception in young drivers

Young drivers are at elevated crash risk compared with older age groups, and hazard perception skill is an important predictor of crash risk. Here, we examined five candidate cognitive predictors of hazard perception skill in young drivers. N = 147 drivers aged between 17 and 27 years with a provisional Australian driver's license completed a video-based test of hazard perception that has previously been linked to indices of real-world driving behaviour and crash risk. Participants also completed five measures of cognitive functioning: four task-based measures (Category Switch Task, Automated Operation Span, Sustained Attention to Response Task, and Useful Field of View Task), and a self-report questionnaire (the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire 2.0) that assess the frequency of subjective cognitive failures (e.g., forgetting appointments) in everyday life. Associations between these five cognitive measures and hazard perception response times was assessed. Results showed that subjective cognitive failures were uniquely associated with hazard perception performance, such that drivers who reported experiencing more frequent cognitive failures were slower to detect hazards. In contrast, none of the task-based cognitive measures were associated with hazard perception performance. These findings suggest that young drivers with increased subjective cognitive failures may be at elevated crash risk. Implications for intervention are discussed.