Impact of Acceleration Style on Vehicle Emissions and Perspectives for Improvement through Transportation Engineering Solutions

Abstract

Road traffic constitutes a key element of modern life, with many individuals behind the wheel each day. Their driving style, specifically how they accelerate and brake, can significantly influence emissions of harmful substances and air quality. Despite the presence of modern cars equipped to reduce exhaust gas components and other emissions, driving style continues to have a substantial impact on air pollution. In the case of aggressive driving, the influence on fuel consumption and emission generation is substantial. Another aspect is the safety of road traffic, as it has been proven that aggressive driving reduces safety. This article focuses on the results of our recent research regarding vehicle emissions during acceleration. We found that even though modern cars are increasingly environmentally friendly, aggressive driving with them can quickly change the perspective on this issue. While the acceleration of a single vehicle may seem essentially negligible, it is crucial to realize that, especially in urban environments, the number of accelerations of road vehicles as a traffic flow is enormous, particularly during peak traffic hours. Furthermore, there are locations where vehicles must decelerate and accelerate consistently, such as certain types of intersections. The goal of the article is to provide an additional viewpoint on monitoring this trend, this time in combination with the road infrastructure itself, with three examples discussed in the article on how these negative trends can be influenced through modifications to the road infrastructure.