Proactive Safety Evaluation of Infrastructure Designs Using Driving Simulation

In this research, the usefulness of driving simulation for studying the effects of road designs on human driving behaviour before these road designs are implemented in real life is explored. The research consists of three studies designed to address important safety issues related to human driving behaviour regarding merging on motorways, separation of express and local lanes on motorways, and horizontal curves situated in a two-way rural road. The experimentation was conducted by allowing participants to drive in a virtually created road environment in a medium fidelity driving simulator at IMOB. The results obtained from the three studies conclude that driving simulation is an economical, effective, efficient, and a safe tool for evaluation of road designs prior to their construction. Evaluating road designs in the design phase will considerably improve the level of safety of road designs. It can also highlight the possible flaws in the road design (if any) and help road designers with decision making in the road design process. The results obtained from this research promote the use of the driving simulator for evaluation of road designs so that possible social and economic losses that might result due to an unsafe road design can be avoided.

Jaar van publicatie:2018

Trefwoorden:Human driving behaviour, driving simulation, Crossing behavior, Driving simulator, Express and local lanes, Generalized Estimating Equation, Soft separation, Driving Behaviour at curves, optical circles, Herringbone pattern, Merging of freeways, taper design, heavy vehicles, vehicle compositions

Toegankelijkheid:Open