Analysis of Driver Behaviour and Crash Characteristics during Adverse Weather Conditions (original) (raw)

Effect of Extreme Weather Conditions on Speed Profiles of Drivers: A Case Study in Delhi, India

Abstract: Adverse weather conditions in India and temperature fluctuations are the major causes of an elevated risk of traffic accidents and traffic flow. In India heavy rain and foggy winters impair the road conditions; the effect of such conditions on driver behaviour has been a matter of concern for many years and the subject of Past research. Main focus of the present study was to understand how an individual driver responds to certain stimuli according to his/her individual characteristics during various driving conditions. The data acquisition of this study was done with V-box. Different driving cycles were also recorded during the data acquisition. The findings highlight drivers’ state and pattern of crashes during rain and foggy conditions during simulated adverse weather conditions. From the data this has been observed It is clearly seen that average driving time differ by 120 seconds in rainy season on the same track i.e 4 % extra time in rainy season. Based on these findings this has been recommended that frequency and severity of accident like situations and other related incidents can be reduced by providing drivers with enough information about the roadway and traffic conditions as well as through better traffic management during adverse weather conditions. Advanced motorist warning systems about weatherrelated conditions can be proved better tool for understanding of driver’s responses during adverse weather conditions. Keywords: Idling Time, V-box, driving cycles.

Effects of weather and weather forecasts on driver behaviour

Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 2007

Winter-time slipperiness is a considerable source of elevated road accident risk, especially in northern countries such as Canada, Finland and Sweden. The national road administrations often offer a service to inform drivers of forthcoming weather and driving conditions in different regions. This study addressed the effects of adverse weather and traffic weather forecasts on driver behaviour in Finland. Drivers (n = 1437) answered a questionnaire on perceptions of weather, self-reported driving behaviour, pre-trip acquisition of weather information, and possible travel plan changes. The questionnaires were distributed and instantaneously collected in rural service stations in different weather and driving conditions. Data from traffic weather forecasts, automatic traffic counters and weather measurement stations concerning the same area (and road) were also collected. Acquisition of weather information for the trip was associated with low recent driving experience, increasing age, female gender, long trip in question and very poor (local) conditions perceived by the driver. Drivers who had acquired information had also made more changes to travel plans, but information acquisition did not have an effect on their on-road driving behaviour. However, they estimated prevailing risks higher than those who did not acquire weather information. Drivers generally considered the driving conditions better than the forecast, but significantly less so in darkness than in daylight or civil twilight. Leisure trips were clearly underrepresented during very poor driving conditions forecasts, suggesting that some trips are postponed as a result of adverse weather conditions or forecasts thereof. Drivers reported various kinds of compensatory behaviour during adverse conditions, including a 6-7 km/h target speed decrement. This corresponded to traffic flow speed measurements. The results suggest that the on-road driving behaviour is predominantly affected by the prevailing observable conditions, rather than traffic weather forecasts. It is suggested that if administrators wish to help drivers in adjusting their on-road behaviour in adverse weather conditions, the methods should be more local and technical by nature. (M. Kilpeläinen).

Driving Performance of Drivers and Psychomotor Characteristics at Extreme Weather Conditions

Extreme weather conditions and temperature fluctuations are the major causes of an elevated risk of traffic accidents and compromised traffic flow in India. In India where hard winters and impaired road conditions are unusual enough to stop daily routines, people are not free to make safe travel decisions, despite their safe intentions. The effect of such conditions on driver beheviour has been a matter of concern for many years and the subject of past research.

Adverse weather impact on driver performance in the UAE

E3S Web of Conferences

Road traffic accident is a significant cause of death around the world. Many factors cause accidents, such as demographic factors, humane factors, road design factors, and weather factors. This paper will investigate the adverse weather impact on driver performance by analyzing the impact of weather conditions on drivers' behaviors. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA test, correlation analysis, and Artificial Neural Network. The data was collected using a questionnaire for the people live in the United Arab Emirates. The survey includes two parts; the first part is about driver characteristics (Gender, Age, Nationality, Marital status, Education level, Monthly income, and Driver experience). The second part contains three questions related to the reaction and attitude of drivers due to bad weather conditions. The results showed that 45% of drivers involved in accidents during bad weather conditions although the majority (more than 75%) of them reduced the spe...

Multilevel Assessment of the Impact of Rain on Drivers' Behavior

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2009

134 et al. (4) and Hall and Barrow , analyses about the effects of adverse weather on traffic indicators have seen an expansion over the last years. For example, Rakha et al. (6) report a maximum reduction in the range of 6% to 9% in free-flow speed and 8% to 14% in speed-at-capacity if the rain intensity is 1.6 cm/h. In a previous study , we noticed an average decrease of 15.5% of the capacity during rainy conditions and a drop of 9% in free-flow speed. This trend was confirmed by Cools et al. (8) and Unrau and Andrey (9). In spite of these results, the impact of rain on traffic still needs to be addressed: there is no consensus on the main findings. The main reasons for that are twofold: (i) a lack of standardized methodology dealing with the quantification of the rain effects and (ii) a lack of comprehensive data, which often prevents separating the study according to the intensity of rainfall.

Evaluating Rainy Weather Effects on Driving Behaviour Dimensions of Driving Behaviour Questionnaire

Journal of Advanced Transportation, 2022

This study aims to develop a modified version of the existing driving behaviour questionnaire (DBQ) by including items related to driving behaviour under rainy conditions to evaluate driving behaviour changes and their implications. A survey of 680 drivers in Iran was conducted with the modified DBQ considering rainy conditions. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis concluded a four-factor solution (high velocity with a law violation, slips, positive and cautious behaviours, and aggressive driving behaviours) with a 52% explanation of variance. One of the most affected driving behaviours during rainfall is the tendency of high velocity with law violation behaviours. Compared to male drivers, female drivers showed lower high-velocity behaviours with law violation when driving in dry weather and in rainy weather. Married drivers have not only less tendency to drive fast or violate the law compared to single drivers but are also less susceptible to these actions during rain. It ...

Driver behaviour in fog is not only a question of degraded visibility – A simulator study

Safety Science, 2017

The aim of this simulator study was to determine whether the effects of fog on driver behaviour were identical for a given road type and whether they could explain fog-related crashes according to road type. Thirty-three participants drove on both two-lane rural roads and motorways according to three visibility conditions (clear weather, 60 m-visibility and 30 m-visibility) and two driving situations (non-free driving and free driving). The variables were: Speeds (Ss), Headway Distances (HDs) and Headway Times (HTs). Fog was simulated using special software designed as part of the French Predit project VOIR, allowing both realistic vehicle headlights and halos to be displayed. The results showed that the drivers decreased their speed with decreasing visibility distance, i.e., speeds were slower in the 30 m-visibility conditions than in clear conditions; but, speeds on the twolane motorway remained faster than on the two-lane rural road, even for the denser fog. In the 30 mvisibility condition, the faster speeds driven on motorways than on two-lane rural sections violated those advocated by the French Highway Code. The distances travelled in conjunction with the speeds driven according to the two-second rule revealed that HTs less than 2 s and small HDs do not necessarily match with hazardous driving.

Effects of Road Conditions, Traffic Patterns, and Human-Made Features on Road Safety: Review Article

World of Science: Journal on Modern Research Methodologies, 2023

This review article explores the effects of road conditions, traffic patterns, and human-made features on road safety. It provides a comprehensive analysis of existing research studies and aims to enhance understanding of the various factors influencing road safety outcomes. The study examines how road conditions, including pavement quality, signage, and lighting, impact driver behavior and accident rates. It also investigates the role of traffic patterns, such as congestion, speed limits, and traffic flow, in contributing to road safety hazards. Furthermore, the review explores the influence of human-made features, such as road design, intersections, and roadside infrastructure, on accident occurrence and severity. It analyzes the relationship between these features and driver behavior, highlighting potential areas for improvement in terms of safety measures and design guidelines. The review also discusses the impact of technological advancements, such as intelligent transportation systems and autonomous vehicles, on road safety. The findings of this review article reveal the complex interactions between road conditions, traffic patterns, and human-made features in shaping road safety outcomes. It emphasizes the need for integrated approaches that consider multiple factors to effectively enhance road safety. The insights gained from this review contribute to the development of evidence-based strategies and interventions aimed at reducing accidents and improving overall road safety. In summary, this review article provides a comprehensive overview of the impacts of road conditions, traffic patterns, and human-made features on road safety. By synthesizing existing research, it offers valuable insights into the relationships between these factors and their influence on accident occurrence and severity. The findings have important implications for policymakers, transportation planners, and road safety practitioners in developing strategies to create safer road environments.

Effects of Adverse Winter Weather Conditions on Highway Traffic and Driver Behaviors

This research looks into the impact of adverse winter weather conditions on highway driver behaviors using microscopic data from loop detectors and video cameras (e.g., hourly average speed, trajectories, lane changes, time-to-collisions measures). This thesis is composed of two main sections in addition to the introductory section: i) direct and lagged effects of adverse weather on hourly speeds and volumes; and ii) direct effect of adverse weather on driver behaviors (microscopic)