Evidence Solutions

What is Human Factors?

Human factors is a scientific field that studies human capabilities and limitations and applies that knowledge to the analysis and design of products, systems, and environments.  In other words, human factors is the scientific study of how humans interact with technology and their environment.

Our human factors experts apply their knowledge of human attention, perception, information processing, and decision-making to evaluate a person’s actions under various circumstances. In legal cases, their expertise is utilized to assess human behavior and performance under various circumstances, in various environments, and while interacting with various technologies.

Analyzing the Driver and the Driving Environment

Human factors experts conduct scientific investigations and apply reliable human factors principles and methods to cases involving motor vehicle crashes. In these types of cases, human factors experts often evaluate driver actions in response to roadway conditions and hazards.  For example, experts conduct investigations to assess the visibility of a hazard at night, to determine if a driver was reasonably attentive, to estimate whether a driver perceived and responded to the hazard in a reasonable amount of time, and to evaluate whether a driver was distracted, drowsy, or impaired.  Human factors experts also evaluate the roadway environment to determine if there was sufficient information available to a driver to safely navigate the roadway (e.g., adequate signage, traffic control devices, lighting, etc.).