CIV3703 Transport Engineering

Module 8 Part 1

Traffic Analysis
8.1 The traffic system
System has 3
components:
Road
User
Vehicle
System Breakdown:
road crashes;
congestion;
driver frustration
Traffic Engineers concerns
Road & Vehicle - subject to engineering design
- characteristics can be dictated by engineer
Users - not subject to eng. Design
Vehicle design- beyond the scope of the Traffic engineer
no or less control

Therefore:
Traffic engineer - needs knowledge of:
human performance characteristics
vehicle characteristics

Road users

Road users are in the
form of:
Drivers (major concern)
Passengers
Pedestrians

8.2 The Driving Task
3 essential tasks during driving :
navigation
guidance
control
Driving tasks require:
receive inputs
process inputs
make predictions (about alternative actions)
decide on appropriate action
execute action

Problems in the Task Sequence
Inadequate or insufficient inputs.
Inappropriate inputs.
Slow processing time.
Errors and misjudgements in predictions.

Not all drivers are identical in their capabilities
or habits


Uniqueness of Drivers
Different drivers have different capabilities
and habits.
Driver behaviour varies between individuals
according to:
ability
motivation
Behaviour dependent on:
what driver is able to do, and
what driver chooses to do.
Driving Experience
Driving ability closely
linked to prior experience.

Experience allows for
development of a set of
expectancies:
continuation expectancy
event expectancy
temporal expectancy (cyclic
events)
Continuation Expectancy
events of past continue
Event Expectancy
events not observed will not happen
Temporal Expectancy
cyclic events
Lessons for the Traffic Engineer
If driver receives information in expected
form, then performance error free.
If info received does not match expectation,
likelihood of system failure.
Traffic engineers should ensure:
Avoid unexpected design or operational situations;
Predictable behaviour is encouraged through
familiarity and habit;
Information provided decreases drivers uncertainty.
8.3 Reaction Time
Period between occurrence of
stimulus to driver, and drivers
physical reaction to it.
Four parts:
perception: use of sensory
organs
identification
emotion
volition: executing action
decided upon.
Speed and Risk
Small changes in travel speed make a big
difference to the risk

How can reaction times be kept low?
By encouraging familiarity
By minimising number of alternatives
to choose;
By providing positive information (eg
Wrong Way Go Back, rather than Do
Not Enter;
By providing prior warning
8.4 Visual Characteristics of Drivers
Main sensory input to drivers is visual (90%).

Small amount of input by other means.
8.4.1 Visual Field
Reading: 3 to 10 degrees.

Peripheral vision: 90 degrees left and right
60 degrees above
70 degrees below

Values reduced when moving.
Visual filed characteristics
Reading: 3 to 10 degrees.

Peripheral vision: 90 degrees left and
right
60 degrees above
70 degrees below

Values reduced when moving.
8.4.2 Eye and Head Movement
Main constraint on info gathering:
eye movement and focussing.

Normal driving: 1.0 to 1.5 fixations per sec.

Example: 100 kph, 1.0 to 1.5 fix.per sec.
= spacing 20 to 28 m
8.4.3 Illumination
Eye adaptable to very large range of illumination.
Adaptability to change:
- dark to glare much quicker adjustment than
glare to dark
Important in design of tunnel lighting.
8.4.4 Visual Handicaps
Several visual handicaps may effect driver
behaviour:
Colour defective vision
2.5% adult males colour defective
Another 2.5% males have reduced sensitivity to red
Low luminance contrast
About 5% population deficient
Visual sensitivity decreases with age
8.5 Information Needs of Road Users
Successful operation of traffic system depends
on conveying information to drivers.

Key needs:
Conspicuity (signal must be seen)
Legibility (message must be able to be read)
Comprehensibility (message must be understood)
Credibility (message must be believable)
8.6 Factors Modifying Normal Driver Behaviour
3 major influences:
Fatigue
Alcohol
Drugs
Fatigue
Fatigue = decrease in
bodys work output
or psychological feelings
or emotional feelings.

Body adopts position
between full alertness and
sleep
- a state of drowsiness.

What causes fatigue?
Monotony uniformity/
repetitiousness
Straight roads

Adverse environment
E.g. closed, warm atmosphere

Over-work

Emotional factors
E.g. worry

Physiological factors
E.g. over-eating
Results of Fatigue in Driving
Symptoms of fatigue:
Loss of attention to task
Boredom (condition of being bored)
Results for the driving task:
Decreased visual scanning
Increased response time
Falling asleep while driving
Counteracting Fatigue
Physical cause, emotional cause
- overcome by rest.

If cause is organic (e.g. narcolepsy)
- medical treatment required.
Alcohol
Acts as a depressant
on the central nervous
system.
Oral consumption:
Mouth
-> small intestine
-> absorption into blood
stream
-> spreads to all parts of the
body including brain
Limit < 0.05 g per 100 millilitres
Effects of Alcohol
Small amounts:
relaxant
sensation of improved mood
judgment slows

Large amounts:
muscle coordination slower
vision and hearing impaired
information processing
diminished
Removal of Alcohol from Body

Alcohol metabolised by liver into waste
products
- relatively slow process (several hours).
Alcohol Vs. Risk
Source: www.ltsa.govt.nz
Casualties
Source: Alberta Transportation (2004)
Drugs
Use of drugs (legal and
illegal) fairly high in our
society.

Many substances
Effects of single substances
known
Effects of mixtures much
more difficult to predict
Other Prescribed Medications
Research on effects generally inconclusive.

Antidepressants (large doses) likely to
increase crash risk.

Antidepressants + alcohol -> probably
impaired driving.
8.7 Road Vehicles - Vehicle Characteristics
Traffic behaviour require the knowledge of the characteristics of the types of
vehicles commonly found in the traffic stream. In particular properties such as
Dimensions
Visibility restrictions
Manoeuvrability
Acceleration
Braking
Grade climbing
Steering
Cornering
Driver vision
Lighting
Axle loads
Axle spacing


Types of Motor Vehicles
Motor cycles
Passenger cars
Passenger car derivatives
eg station wagons
Utilities and light vans
Heavy vehicles trucks and
buses
Road trains
Design for Vehicles
Need for design to accommodate legal
maximum size.
National uniformity (but state jurisdiction)
Concept of design vehicles
Design car
Design single unit truck or bus
Design semi-trailer
Mass limits
End Module 8, Part 1