Vehicle Driver Behavior Research Articles

Stochastic Modeling of Battery Electric Vehicle Driver Behavior

A stochastic modeling approach is proposed to characterize battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers’ behavior. The approach uses longitudinal travel data and thus allows more realistic analysis of the impact of the charging infrastructure on BEV feasibility. BEV feasibility is defined as the probability that the ratio of the distance traveled between charges to the BEV range is kept within a comfort level (i.e., drivers are comfortable with driving the BEV when the battery's state of charge is above a certain level). When the ratio exceeds the comfort level, travel adaptation is needed–-use of a substitute vehicle, choice of an alternative transportation mode, or cancellation of a trip. The proposed stochastic models are applied to quantify BEV feasibility at different charging infrastructure deployment levels with the use of GPS-based longitudinal travel data collected in the Seattle, Washington, metropolitan area. In the Seattle case study, the range of comfort level was found to be critical. If BEV drivers were comfortable with using all the nominal range, about 10% of the drivers needed no or little travel adaptation (i.e., they made changes on less than 0.5% of travel days), and almost 50% of the drivers needed travel adaptation on up to 5% of the sampled days. These percentages dropped by half when the drivers were only comfortable with using up to 80% of the range. In addition, offering opportunities for one within-day recharge can significantly increase BEV feasibility, provided that the drivers were willing to make some travel adaptation (e.g., up to 5% of drivers in the analysis).

A numerical–experimental methodology for simulating the aerodynamic forces acting on a moving vehicle passing through the wake of a bridge tower under cross wind

The effects induced on handling of a high sided vehicle by a variation of cross wind aerodynamic forces caused by the crossing of the wake of a bridge tower are studied using an experimental–numerical approach. The proposed model aims at simulating the interaction between the aerodynamic forces and moments and the vehicle–driver behavior. The aerodynamic forces, instantaneously acting on the vehicle, are computed according to a quasi-static force distribution approach that relies on wind tunnel tests performed on still scaled models. Time domain simulations of the vehicle–driver response to cross wind forces are performed to investigate the safety of the bridge traffic in presence of tower wake crossing, taking into account the risk of lane changing and/or vehicle rollover. In particular an analysis of the vehicle–driver system response, for a reference bridge situation, in presence and absence of wind fences near the tower, is performed to evaluate their effectiveness.

How the Interpretation of Drivers' Behavior in Virtual Environment Can Become a Road Design Tool: A Case Study

Driving is the result of a psychological process that translates data, signals and direct/indirect messages into behavior, which is continuously adapted to the exchange of varying stimuli between man, environment and vehicle. These stimuli are at times not perceived and at others perceived but not understood by the driver, even if they derive from tools (vertical signs, horizontal marking) specifically conceived for his safety. The result is unsafe behavior of vehicle drivers. For this reason, the road environment needs to be radically redesigned. The paper describes a research, based on real and virtual environment surveys, aimed to better understand drivers' action-reaction mechanisms inside different scenarios, in order to gain informations useful for a correct organization (design) of the road space. The driving simulator can help in developing, from road to laboratory, the study of new road design tools (geometrical, compositional, constructive ones, street furniture, etc.), because it can be used to evaluate solutions before their usefulness is proved on the road.

Reducing Undesirable Actions of Motor Vehicle Drivers at Railroad–Highway Grade Crossings

This paper reports on unsafe actions of motor vehicle drivers at gated railroad–highway grade crossings and behavioral modifications in response to installation of a centerline barrier that prevented drivers from going through the gates. A comparison of driver behavior in the pre- and postbarrier periods indicated the effectiveness of the barrier in reducing unsafe actions. A major concern of the Nebraska Department of Roads is the potential for crashes at railroad–highway grade crossings that result from unsafe actions of motorists such as rushing the gates to beat an oncoming train and playing “chicken” with an approaching train (i.e., intentionally standing a motor vehicle on the tracks and moving only when the train brakes). Some driver actions at crossings (e.g., backing up, U-turns) may result in crashes involving motor vehicles only. The railroad crossing at North 141st Street in Waverly, Nebraska, was studied for about 4 months with the help of a night vision camera and a digital video recorder. Motor vehicle driver behavior was observed when the gates were down, and unsafe actions were noted. To reduce gate rushing and other unsafe behaviors, a flexible rubber and plastic barrier was installed to prevent motorists from going through the gates. The postbarrier actions of motor vehicle drivers were monitored and compared with the preinstallation period by using appropriate statistical tools. The results provide interesting insights into how drivers modify their actions in response to physical changes at railroad crossings, in this case installation of a barrier along the street centerline. The barrier reduced some of the more dangerous types of driver actions such as gate rushes.

STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF VEHICLE DRIVER BEHAVIOUR ON VEHICLE EMISSIONS OF CARBON MONOXIDE AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS

Considerable concentrations of vehicular emissions at signalized intersections and streets, in urban area are health-related issues of concern to society in general. This paper presents an examination for the effect of vehicle driver behaviour on vehicular excess CO emissions. The examination process based on site observations. in Erbil City which, satisfy the objectives and specifications of this Four signalized intersections study selected, and the necessary traffic behaviour and vehicle exhaust emission data collected. The traffic data were collected using video recording technique and the Analytical Mobile Gaseous Emissions CART P8334 machine used to measure vehicle exhaust emission data. The required traffic data abstracted from video play back using EVENT computer program, which provide coded digital representation for the requisite traffic activities. The abstracted data stored on floppy disks in the form of digital computer files. These files processed using computer programs developed for this purpose to abstract the necessary information from the raw data. Among the obtained traffic information are vehicle data classified according to the type of fuel used into two classes. The first class is gasoline powered vehicles which consisted of taxis and private cars covering different model year, engine condition and size, type of fuel injection system, number of cylinders. These data observed under different ambient air temperatures. The second class is the diesel-powered vehicles, which consists mainly of truck type vehicles. Following the processing stage, the obtained data presented and analyzed statistically to evaluate of the relationship between driver behaviour and vehicle excess of CO emission. Among the driver behaviours studied is queuing driver behaviour, which showed reasonably good relationship with the excess CO emissions. The results of this study are useful for the Local Authorities, traffic engineers and transportation planners. This is because, the obtained results assist in the adoption of suitable method of intersection control for the purpose of reduction of CO emissions and hence, reduce level of this type of air pollution.

Community-based programmes to prevent pedestrian injuries in children 0–14 years: a systematic review

Background. Community-based models for injury prevention have become an accepted part of the overall injury control strategy. This systematic review of the scientific literature examines the evidence for their effectiveness in reducing pedestrian injury in children 0–14 years of age. Methods. A comprehensive search of the literature was performed using the following study selection criteria: community-based intervention study; target population was children under 14 years; outcome measure is either pedestrian injury rates or observed child pedestrian or vehicle driver behaviour; and use of a community control or an historical control in the study design. Quality assessment and data abstraction was guided by a standardized procedure and performed independently by two authors. Data synthesis was in tabular and text form with meta-analysis not being possible due to the discrepancy in methods and measures between the studies. Results. The review found four studies that met all the inclusion criteria. The three studies using injury as their outcome measure found a 12%, 45% and 54% reduction for all childhood injuries with the fourth showing improved traffic control at child pedestrian sites (9% reduction in traffic flow) and sustainable community safety promotion activity. Conclusion. There is a paucity of research studies in the literature from which evidence regarding the effectiveness of community-based programmes for the prevention of pedestrian injury in children can be drawn. However, the hypothesis that community-based interventions are effective in reducing the incidence of childhood pedestrian injury would appear to be supported, with the degree of success being cumulative depending on the complexity of individual strategies employed.

Drugs (Other than or in Addition to Ethyl Alcohol) and Driving Behavior: A Collaborative Study of the California Association of Toxicologists

Abstract The influence of the consumption of ethyl alcohol on motor vehicle driver behavior is well established [1,2]. Innumerable other psychoactive drugs are now used widely by the populations of developed countries. That these drugs are also used by motor vehicle drivers on occasion has been documented [3] and discussed [4]. The effects of these drugs alone, in combination, or with ethyl alcohol on driver behavior are not fully understood. Approaches that could clarify such effects include prospective experimentation with human volunteers in simulated driving situations, prospective experimental studies with human volunteers in actual driving situations, retrospective toxicological analyses of fatal automobile accident victims in mass statistical studies, reconstruction of fatal automobile accidents, and comparative study of individuals with specific, observed driving behavior in real-life situations who were subsequently determined to be with and without drugs.

Some Factors Influencing the Road Behaviour of Vehicle Drivers

ORGANIZED research on the subject of road safety has been going on in this country since 1947. The research, which in the main is carried out at the Road Research Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, has been concerned with improving the vehicle from the point of view of road safety, with making the roads safer by improvements in surface and design and with improving the behaviour of the road user. It is the last subject, the behaviour of the road user, and in particular the behaviour of drivers, with which this paper is concerned. One of the ways of reducing the frequency of road accidents is by improving the road behaviour of drivers. At the Road Research Lalboratory an attempt has been made to obtain information *on some of the factors which influence the road behaviour of vehicle drivers, in order to find out which of these factors are important and which might therefore be used in bringing about 'the necessary changes in motorists' behaviour. This paper is concerned with the effect on driver behaviour of (i) legal restrictions, (ii) the obvious presence of police, (iii) clearer instructions, (iv) propaganda and (v) a driver's attitude to his task. Some work on other factors influencing driver behaviour has also been done by the Laboratory. Legal Restrictions Various legal restrictions are imposed on drivers. There are laws which compel the 'motorist to observe traffic lights, halt signs, speed limits in certain areas or for certain vehicles, laws which regulate the lighting of vehicles and numerous other regulations. It was decided to investigate the reactions of drivers to some of these restrictions. First, with regard to speed limits, measurements were made of the speeds of vehicles on sections of road on which there were no speed restrictions for private cars, but on which speed limits were about to be imposed. These stretches of road all happened to bz on the fringes of existing 'built-up areas. After the speed limit regulations came into force t'he speeds were again measured, and Table I shows an analysis of the results. The speed limit regulations had no marked effect on the average speeds; in. three cases there was a slight increase of speed and in three cases a slight decrease. In the first five cases, on the average about half the drivers travelled at speeds greater than 30 m.p.h. Afthough there was no appreciable change in the average speeds there may have been a slight reduction in the proportion of vehicles travelling at very high speeds. There is also some indication that the * This paper was given to the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Section J, Psychology; Belfast, September, 1952.