Seeing the Road Ahead: Understanding the Visual Factors that Influence Safe Driving in Later Life

Summary

Driving is one of the most visually demanding activities undertaken in everyday life, requiring the rapid detection and interpretation of hazards under constantly changing lighting conditions. Despite this, current UK driver licensing standards rely almost exclusively on high-contrast visual acuity measured under optimal lighting conditions. While this approach ensures a minimum level of central vision, it does not assess other aspects of visual function that are critical for safe driving, including contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, and visual performance under low-light (mesopic) conditions.

Emerging evidence suggests that visual measures obtained under mesopic conditions may be more sensitive to age-related visual decline and ocular disease than conventional visual acuity tests. In particular, contrast sensitivity is also found to be reduced in early cataract in advance of visual acuity falling below legal driving standards. These subtle deficits may impair the detection of hazards, especially during low-light, adverse weather and night conditions, yet remain under-detected by routine clinical assessments.

This exciting PhD project will investigate whether clinically available measures of low-contrast visual acuity and mesopic visual function are better predictors of driving performance than current licensing standards. Working with a large cohort of older drivers, the successful candidate will assess visual function under photopic and mesopic conditions and examine relationships with hazard perception and driving simulator performance.

The research offers a stimulating opportunity to combine clinical vision science, ageing and public health research, human factors, and transportation safety. Findings will contribute to improving our understanding of the visual requirements for safe driving and may ultimately help inform future clinical practice and evidence-based driver vision standards. Supported by an experienced multidisciplinary team, the successful candidate will gain expertise in visual psychophysics, clinical assessment, experimental design, data analytics, and driving simulation, preparing them for careers in research, academia, healthcare, or industry.

The successful candidate should have strong interpersonal skills and have experience in the clinical assessment of human observers/patients. Registration as an optometrist (with General Optical Council), ophthalmologist or ophthalmic medical practitioner in the UK would be desirable for this role.

Please note:  Research Proposal - 5 pages in total

The proposal must include:

• Background to the project - 2 pages
• Problem to be addressed/Aim and Objectives - 1 page
• Methods to be used -1 page
• Anticipated outcomes -1 page
• List of references

Please also note that the use of AI in generating the research proposal is prohibited.

Important Information: Applications for more than one PhD studentship are welcome, however if you apply for more than one PhD project within Biomedical Sciences/Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, your first application on the system will be deemed your first-choice preference and further applications will be ordered based on the sequential time of submission.
If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be interviewed only on your first-choice application and ranked accordingly. Those ranked highest will be offered a PhD studentship.
In the situation where you are ranked highly and your first-choice project is already allocated to someone who was ranked higher than you, you may be offered your 2nd or 3rd choice project depending on the availability of this project

AccessNI clearance required

Please note, the successful candidate will be required to obtain AccessNI clearance prior to registration due to the nature of the project.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal detailing background, research questions, aims and methodology
• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement demonstrating interest in the subject area

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• Applicants should hold, or expect to hold a First Class Honours Degree in a relevant subject area
• Applicants should hold, or expect to hold a relevant Masters Degree at a level equivalent to commendation or distinction at Ulster
• Practice-based research experience and/or dissemination
• Experience or knowledge of research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Work experience relevant to the proposed project
• Experience of presentation of research findings

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)
• Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (VCRS)

PhD scholarships are available for this project to all applicants worldwide, regardless of residency or domicile, and will cover:

• Tuition fees.
• A maintenance allowance of approximately £22,000 (exact rate is to be confirmed) per annum for three years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
• A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of approximately £900 per annum.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year, or part-time equivalent, funded from any source, including self-financing students, are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Students in full-time employment are not eligible for an award.

Part-time PhD scholarships may be available at a 0.5 pro rata rate of the full-time scholarship, which would require a six-year registration period.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.

The University will award a successful candidate one of the following scholarships for the project, depending on the funding available at the time an admissions offer is made:

1. Department for the Economy (DfE) PhD Scholarships
2. Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS)

Please note that the Terms and Conditions for scholarships are subject to change for 2027/28.