A vehicle type-based approach to model car following behaviors in simulation programs (case study: Car-motorcycle following behavior)

Abstract

Traffic simulation models often neglect the important role of motorcycles and assume a flow of various combinations of cars. This paper addresses how much different would be the behavior of a car driver while following a motorcyclist compared to cases in which a car follows another car, along with a segment of an urban highway in the non-congested flow. Recognition of such a difference might help to develop existing simulation models and to improve the behavior of car drivers in such a way to lead to lower accidents with motorcycles. To reach the goal, a GHR (Gazis-Herman-Rothery) model for car following is applied and data have been collected by video cameras during 15 min time intervals in three different days. Analysis of 198 car-motorcycle and 374 car-car following observations has indicated that when a car driver follows a motorcycle, keeps a higher headway (about 10 m in the low speed) with a lower acceleration/deceleration in comparison with the situation in which car driver follow another one. It means that the behavior of the follower car driver would be more cautious compared to situations in which a car driver follows another one, especially in space headways <10 m. In addition to main findings of the paper for developing a more realistic simulation program, the paper also addresses that in cases when the required safe space between a car and a motorcycle would be endangered, a warning message could be generated for the car driver (by implementing an in-veh ITS technology) to warn driver about keeping a safe distance.