A microscopic driver attention allocation model

Abstract

This article proposes a microscopic model of automobile driver’s attention allocation as a method to better understand roadway crashes. The authors outline a driver attention allocation model that uses a microscopic perspective to explore and clarify how drivers allocate their attention. The study treats the continuous process of attention allocation as successive choices on focal points. The probability of choosing a specific focal point was derived by using a discrete choice model. The authors generated a set of hypothetical data was generated for numerical analysis to illustrate the appropriateness of the proposed attention allocation model. The authors conclude that the results show that the proposed model can reveal the mechanisms of eyesight shifting for information gathering. This could prove to be an effective tool for safety evaluation and improved understanding of the mechanisms of highway crashes.