Experience and spatial awareness

Thought this was interesting, thought I'd share:

We found that novices eye-movements were different from those of the more experienced drivers in several ways, though the extent of scanning on a particular section of dual carriageway was particularly limited. We have since examined this effect in the laboratory using video-based stimuli replicating the same impoverished scanning in novice drivers (e.g. Underwood, Chapman, Bowden, & Crundall, 2002).
We have also further explored why this might be the case, examining the possibility of whether this was due to the novice drivers having a deficient mental model or whether they were simply overloaded by the requirement to control the car (a process which requires less attention with increased experience), and found that even when car-control demands were eliminated, the effect persisted (Underwood et al., 2002).
Another aspect that appears to be important in understanding this effect is the extent of the inexperienced drivers' peripheral attention (Crundall, Underwood, & Chapman, 1999, 2002). We found that the less experienced drivers have a smaller field of peripheral vision, and are more likely to miss even abrupt onsets. This is especially the case when they are focusing on something that is potentially dangerous.
For example if the car ahead brakes suddenly, a novice driver will focus so much attention on that car that they may miss the errant cyclist emerging from the side road. More experienced drivers have a wider spread of peripheral attention however, and this appears to be linked to their spread of search.
Got the excerpt from Mind Hacks, rest of the journal article doesn't seem very relevant.

I often wonder if this is why novice cyclists feel overwhelmed and intimidated when they first set out on their bikes. As a result I've spent quite a bit of time out riding slowly with my novice friends to try to get them used to being on the road and dealing with traffic and build their confidence a bit. Don't really know if it helped in any way, not very scientific on my part.

All the same - a lot of accidents, regardless of who they're caused by, seem to be based on a misreading of the dynamics of the road.

Thoughts?

Novice riders think to much. UTFL