Left-hand turns require 'huge' brain power, study shows

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Brain-straining combination can dangerously distract drivers

Left-hand turns require 'huge' brain power, study shows Brain-straining combination can dangerously distract drivers By Sharon Kirkey, Postmedia News February 28, 2013 Story Photos ( 1 ) Left-hand turns require 'huge' brain power, study shows Canadian researchers have shown for the first time that making left-hand turns at busy intersections - where the worst real-world crashes occur - requires far more brain power than right turns or other manoeuvres.

Canadian researchers have shown for the first time that making left turns at busy intersections - where the worst real-world crashes occur - requires far more brain power than right turns or other manoeuvres. Throw in talking on a hands-free cellphone, and the brain becomes so distracted, it shuts down key areas needed for visual attention and alertness.

For their study, Toronto researchers slid volunteers into functional MRI machines, or fMRIs - scanners that capture the brain at work in real time by measuring changes in blood flow. The machines show how certain areas of the brain are activated, or "light up" under different levels of mental demand.

The team, in a feat of engineering that took more than a year and a half, fitted an fMRI with a virtual-reality driving simulator complete with a fully functional steering wheel, brake and accelerator pedals. The study was inspired by neurological patients - people who have suffered brain injury from strokes, brain tumours, trauma and other conditions that make them vulnerable to being declared "medically unfit" to drive.

"If you take their licence away, it's probably one of the most devastating things to happen to them, next to the medical condition itself, and, in some cases, even more so," said principal researcher Dr. Tom Schweizer, a neuroscientist and director of the neuroscience research program at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

"You see some of these tumour patients: Even before they ask if the tumour is going to come back after surgery, they ask, 'when can I get my driver's licence back?' "

Yet little is known about the fundamental, underlying brain networks behind human driving behaviour, namely, what areas of the brain are responsible for driving?

Insurance and crash statistics show that left-hand turns at busy intersections are where the most serious crashes occur. "They must be appreciably different in some way than just driving straight in the country," Schweizer said.

Intuitively, it makes sense. "But, we still don't understand, would it be completely different brain areas? Would it be a different collection of brain areas that are recruited when doing this? We had no idea."

The study, which included collaborators from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Baycrest in Toronto, involved 16 healthy volunteers;----> men and women aged 20 to 30,

I cant help but think of this

reply to post by alienjuggalo


hahahahahahahaha

And this.



just cus you have a nice car don't make you smart LOL

That has to be the stupidest thing I've heard today. Left turns require brain power? All you're doing is rotating a wheel. Who did they use for this study? A bunch of patients from the local retard center?

Simple solution

Move to a country that drive on the right side (by that I mean the left side) of the road, problem solved

Glad I could help

Originally posted by SilentKoala
That has to be the stupidest thing I've heard today. Left turns require brain power? All you're doing is rotating a wheel. Who did they use for this study? A bunch of patients from the local retard center?

a majority of mentally disabled people are left handed. With a smaller number being right handed. So no i don't think so.

And i thought the topic was hilarious so i put all the pictures up bro. For our entertainment.

Cheers.

reply to post by CrypticSouthpaw


Okay now it's official.

I'm a freakin' genius. I mean it.

I must have done a couple thousand left hand turns and never ever has something happened.

Or I was simply lucky. Nah. I'm a genius.

Seriously what's next, telling people that walking in straight lines is the feat of people with an IQ exceeding 200 points ?

What a ridiculous article.

Hello from one crazy southpaw to another.

This is very good information for the majority of the population.

Some people, however, can multitask with ease. I'm one of them.

It doesn't matter if I'm doing one or a half dozen things at once, I will flow with the same speed throughout the tasks.

As long as there isn't a physical limitation, the mind will keep up with the flow.

reply to post by SilentKoala

That has to be the stupidest thing I've heard today. Left turns require brain power? All you're doing is rotating a wheel. Who did they use for this study? A bunch of patients from the local retard center?

This isn't about turning a steering wheel, it's about looking out for oncoming traffic and pedestrians in four different directions, finding a path, matching velocities, and so on. Anyone who actually drives knows that making a turn against the traffic is the hardest manoeuvre there is.

*

reply to post by IkNOwSTuff

Simple solution, Move to a country that drive on the right side (by that I mean the left side) of the road, problem solved

In countries where people drive on the left, it's making a right-hand turn that requires all the brainpower.

By the way, being left- or right-handed almost certainly has nothing to do with it.

i agree with the mans statements. The test was only done with right handed people. And there are a low percentage of right handed people with cross-dominance. Like lucky feller up there. Not everyone is co-ordinated you know. The average person is incapable with non dominant limbs, Unless cross dominance is present. But, everything can be developed. Just a leftie or a rightie with cross dominance will has the capabilities of being fully ambidextrous

And yes the guy didn't read the article properly. I just thought his response was funny lol

That's what happens when you skip through information.

I am also skilled with most things and have fast reflexes. I converted from left handed guitar to right handed and it feel completely natural to me.

Originally posted by SilentKoala
That has to be the stupidest thing I've heard today. Left turns require brain power? All you're doing is rotating a wheel. Who did they use for this study? A bunch of patients from the local retard center?

you should'a volunteered!

the study was aimed at determinuing the amount of mental processing required, not the physical effort neede in turning the wheel.

of course in england they would have this all backwards.

i would probably have trouble with right turns over there lol but i can adapt fast and yeah but it was an average test. Buddy up here is a freak of nature who can multi-task. I have multi-tasking abilities as well which allows me to be analytical.

NASCAR drivers, the worlds untapped resource of rocket scientists. Oh look another left hand turn!! Ahaha! I'm sorry everyone I had too!

Before I get in the car and drive somewhere, I usually make sure my phone is on silent, so it doesn't bug me while I'm driving. I mean, it could distract me in the worst time possible.

Honestly I have so much more trouble turning right into a parking stall then turning left anywhere else.

Driving comes to me like second nature now a days. I can judge millimetre distances in a flash.

Just awkward turning right since the steering wheel is on the left.

Interesting how it requires more brain 'power' though?
I guess to be mindful of the cars that could come at any second combined with the actually physical movement itself requires more energy then usual, but huge? hmm

Originally posted by yourmaker
Honestly I have so much more trouble turning right into a parking stall then turning left anywhere else.

Driving comes to me like second nature now a days. I can judge millimetre distances in a flash.

Just awkward turning right since the steering wheel is on the left.

Interesting how it requires more brain 'power' though?
I guess to be mindful of the cars that could come at any second combined with the actually physical movement itself requires more energy then usual, but huge? hmm

Honestly, I don't really understand how it requires more brain power. Isn't it the same thing as turning it to the right?

thanks for contributing and commenting guys. Always appreciate it

The reason why it takes more brain power was stated in this article. People i guess are thinking when they think of brain power and driving. They imagine their ability to pull in and out of corners that are parked or how they can zoom around corners well still being between the lines. I guess people somehow attribute that to what they think is *brain power* .

What the article is actually pointing out, Is that it takes a lot of brain power to focus on all other other cars at intersections, pedestrians, the lights. And paying attention to where other people are headed. There's blind spots when you turn and you can get clipped by a car that isn't paying attention. There are usually lots of cars driving around on each corners of dense intersections. With it pedestrians and people who likely are not paying attention to their surroundings. Its referring to environment not peoples ability to drive with co-ordination. Awareness and co-ordination are 2 very distinct things. For those who notice everything more. Are usually the safer drivers rather than the ignorant who disregard everyone around them, those people put peoples lives at risk, Fools.

Originally posted by CrypticSouthpaw
thanks for contributing and commenting guys. Always appreciate it

The reason why it takes more brain power was stated in this article. People i guess are thinking when they think of brain power and driving. They imagine their ability to pull in and out of corners that are parked or how they can zoom around corners well still being between the lines. I guess people somehow attribute that to what they think is *brain power* .

What the article is actually pointing out, Is that it takes a lot of brain power to focus on all other other cars at intersections, pedestrians, the lights. And paying attention to where other people are headed. There's blind spots when you turn and you can get clipped by a car that isn't paying attention. There are usually lots of cars driving around on each corners of dense intersections. With it pedestrians and people who likely are not paying attention to their surroundings. Its referring to environment not peoples ability to drive with co-ordination. Awareness and co-ordination are 2 very distinct things. For those who notice everything more. Are usually the safer drivers rather than the ignorant who disregard everyone around them, those people put peoples lives at risk, Fools.

So, this would apply to right hand turns too?

sometimes. But usually you are on the right side and nothing can clip you only from the side behind or if someone crosses the light. If you are turning left. You have to make a wide turn across an intersection.

So right hand turns sometimes wouldn't apply. If North America, All left hand turns mostly involve wide angle turns. Which leaves you open for any idiot who isn't paying attention.

Honestly, I don't really understand how it requires more brain power. Isn't it the same thing as turning it to the right?

You clearly aren't understanding the point of the article. In the USA, turning left involves moving across a lane in which cars may be coming in the opposite direction. This does not happen when you are turning right. The situation is entirely reversed in the UK, where turning right would be the problem. Essentially, this means that your brain has to do more work to concentrate properly, because it needs to be aware of more possibilities. The article implies that this can lead to reduced awareness of certain things, because your brain is having to work harder.

Frankly, it makes a great deal of sense to me.