Video Game Could Make for Better Drivers, Safer Roads

Little did I know that spending a good chunk of my adolescence staying up past 2 a.m. playing “Grand Turismo” on Playstation until my eyes were sore would make me a better driver.

OK, that may not be exactly true, but it turns out several companies are completely serious about using video games to train and evaluate the two riskiest groups of drivers: the young and the old. Retirees and teenagers are the most accident-prone groups of drivers, and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, teenagers account for three times as many fatal car accidents as all other drivers.

Companies like CogniFit are hoping their video game driving simulator DriveFit will lower these numbers. According to the New York Times, DriveFit tests visual memory, reaction time and overall cognitive ability. As the cognitive ability of retirees degrades with age, the program measures if these drivers are still fit for the road. Similarly, it can assess whether young drivers are fully prepared to get behind the wheel or if they need more instruction.

Driving schools in Great Britain and Canada have already put CogniFit’s software into their curriculum. Programs in New York, New Jersey and Maryland have already started using DriveFit.

Are You a Good Driver? Here’s How to Find Out (The New York Times)