Why do so many drivers say 'sorry mate, I didn't see you'?

Show notes

PsychTalks Season 5, Episode 4 | Published 9 September 2026

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Why do so many drivers say "sorry mate, I didn't see you"?

If you’ve ever looked directly at a motorcyclist while driving – yet completely failed to see them – you’re not alone. The phenomenon is so common, riders refer to it as a “smidsy” (or, “sorry mate, I didn’t see you”.)

Professor Kristen Pammer and Dr Angus McKerral discuss the cognitive demands of driving; explaining how inattentional blindness can render a motorcyclist invisible and exploring the promises and pitfalls of self-driving cars.

About Professor Kristen Pammer

An esteemed researcher and academic leader, Professor Kristen Pammer is the Head of the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences and has over 25 years of experience in psychology and cognitive neuroscience.

Professor Pammer's pioneering research focuses on understanding the brain mechanisms involved in reading, dyslexia, visual attention, and hazard perception in driving. Her work has had significant real-world impact, influencing Australia’s road safety policies, driver training programs, approaches to literacy education, and Indigenous education initiatives. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, she holds a PhD in Psychology and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. She is an accomplished scholar having published 60 journal articles and two book chapters.

In addition to her academic accomplishments, Professor Pammer has held leadership roles such as Chair of the Heads of Departments and Schools of Psychology Association (HODSPA) and Secretary of the Psychology Foundation of Australia. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Australian National University (ANU) and a Research Associate at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. Notably, Professor Pammer was instrumental in establishing the Higher Education Academy qualification in Australia and has made substantial contributions to curriculum development and teaching innovations.

About Dr Angus McKerral

Dr Angus McKerral has a doctorate in psychology from the University of Newcastle and has more than seven years of experience researching driver distraction and fatigue. His doctoral research focused on the relationship between expertise, vehicle automation and driver cognition, and particularly the construction of situation awareness during critical takeovers from highly-automated vehicles.

Dr McKerral’s current research aims to identify novel measures of visual and cognitive distraction with the goal of improving the real-time detection of risky driver states.