Hazard Perception in teenagers: an effectiveness study of a virtual riding trainer

The research is to assess how far a Honda Riding Trainer (HRT) simulator could improve hazard perception skills and awareness in teenagers. Previous studies have verified that participants performing a complete riding training show a clearly visible learning process and improvement in their performance in avoiding accidents significantly more than participants of the control group [12]. The aim of this research is to test whether different kinds of training yield the same improvement in avoiding accidents. Four hundred and thirteen participants were involved in the research. Participants were randomly assigned in either Experimental Group (EG, 207) or Control Group (CG. 203). The CG was composed the four CGs (CG1: 47 subjects; CG2: 50 subjects; CG3: 57 subjects; CG4: 49 subjects). A quasi-Solomon experimental design was implemented: participants of the EG performed a complete training composed by two tracks for the pre-test, eight tracks of training and two tracks for the post test. Different kinds of training were submitted to the four CGs. Results at post-test show a significantly lower performance in avoiding hazards of all the CGs compared to the EG.