The Influence of Lead Vehicle Behavior and Vehicle Rates of Closure on a Driver's Braking Behavior

Abstract

Given the great prevalence of vehicle accidents, collision prevention should be a priority for ground transportation research. The understanding of such incidents is critical to the safety of the driver. This study involved simulations of multiple driving situations variant on Rate of Closure (the relative speed between two vehicles) and Lead Vehicle Behavior. Useful Field of View and Test Anxiety measures were used to analyze additional factors related to driving with little success. The findings show that brake onset times of younger drivers are significantly related to the behavior of a lead vehicle and to the rate of closure. As such, any system that only uses time to contact or distance to contact is fundamentally flawed. These results aid in the general understanding of driver behavior and could fundamentally change automatic braking systems.