Young drivers are a high-risk group for road traffic accidents, highlighting the need for advanced methods to assess and improve risk awareness. With driving simulators being considered as a possible mandatory part of the Swedish driving test, this study examines the effects of different weather conditions on performance and perceived risk during simulator-based driving tests.

26 participants (mean age = 19, SD = 2, 12 male, 11 female, and 3 unspecified) mainly recruited at an automotive high school took part in the study. All participants completed 14 driving situations in a fixed-based simulator. Weather conditions—daytime, nighttime, rain, and fog—were varied in a rolling scheme, with 3–4 traffic situations per condition. Participants, divided into four groups, experienced all weather conditions. 

Outcomes were recorded as pass/fail and supplemented with self-assessment ratings of performance and perceived risk for each situation. There was a statistically significant effect of weather conditions on driving performance, F(3, 69) = 2.973, p < .05. The test performance score (M ± SD) was highest in daytime (.64 ± .37) and nighttime (.64 ± .34) followed by rain (.58 ± .38), and fog (.43 ± .40). However, post hoc analysis with a Bonferroni adjustment indicated no statistically significant pairwise differences. There was no statistically significant effect of weather conditions on self-assessed driving performance or on perceived risk. This study offers new insights into using light and weather conditions in simulator-based driver assessment.