Research

Visual perception is an important source of information when driving a car. Visual impairments of drivers will therefore have an effect on performing the driving task. However, the effects on the crash rate are limited. The reason is, among other things, that people with visual impairments often compensate for this disability, by avoiding crowded rush hours and driving in the dark, by adjusting their driving speed and by applying other visual strategies. People’s visual impairments increase when they grow older. Most of the negative results of this process can be remedied by devices or  treatments; however, since a visual impairment generally tends to develop very slowly over time, people are often not aware of it, or only very late.