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This work examines whether it is possible to compensate for the loss of vestibular information that is usually felt by drivers of modern cars when negotiating bends and which is associated with the load transfer of the car. Indeed, the absence of this information causes drivers to underestimate their speed and consequently increases the risk of road departure. This study tries to visually compensate for this loss of vestibular information through a tilt movement of the frame of reference of the driver. This tilt is the same as that perceived in a bend because of the load transfer of the car. The results indicate that most participants are influenced by this visual information and modify their speed accordingly whilst taking a bend. Nevertheless, only those participants uninformed about the presence of this assistance did slow down, whereas informed participants accelerated. This effect has been interpreted as a consequence of the level of processing implicated in the steering task (implicit versus explicit processing). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Collision analysis indicates that many car accidents occur when negotiating a bend. Excessive speed and steering wheel errors are often given by way of explanation. Nevertheless, the underlying origin of these dramatic errors could be, at least in part, a poor estimation of bend curvature. The aim of this study was to investigate both the assessment of bend curvature by drivers and the impact of symbolic road signs that indicate a hazardous bend on this assessment. Thus, participants first viewed a video recording showing approaching bends of different curvature before being asked to assess the curvature of these bends. This assessment could either be a verbal (symbolic control) estimation of the bend''s curvature and risk, or a sensorimotor (subsymbolic control) estimation of the bend''s curvature (participants were asked to turn a steering wheel to mimic the position that would be necessary to accurately negotiate the bend). Results show that very severe bends (with a radius of less than 80m) were actually underestimated. This was associated with an underestimation of risk corresponding to these bends and a poor sensorimotor anticipation of bend curvature. Road signs, which indicate risk significantly improve bend assessment, but this was of no use for sensorimotor anticipation. Thus, other indicators need to be envisaged in order to also improve this level of control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]