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Project

research on the effect of wind turbines on traffic behaviour and conflicts (R-6094)

The Ministry recently received a request for the development of a wind turbine park along the N15 near Rotterdam. According to the plans, these turbines would be placed closer to the edge of the road than imposed according to the legal regulations, whereby the rotor blades will run - in the event of adverse wind directions - over the road. The initiator was therefore required to carry out a driving simulator study to evaluate whether the project could cause possible road safety risks. On the basis of the report, which indicates that the influence on the driving behavior of the subjects is limited, it was decided to grant a permit. To better understand the actual effects on site, a conflict-and behavioural observation research is preferred. At the request of the Ministry, the Transportation Research Institute of Hasselt University investigates the influence of the presence of the wind turbines on the traffic behavior of passing vehicles and the occurrence of dangerous situations ('traffic conflicts'). The recommendations of this can help the Ministry and other road authorities to determine whether similar projects in the future are desirable/defensible.
Date:1 Jan 2015 →  31 Oct 2015
Keywords:road user behavior, traffic safety
Disciplines:Psychology and cognitive sciences, Economics and business