01590871

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/2556-04

Passing maneuvers allow faster drivers to continue driving at their desired speeds without being delayed behind impeding vehicles. On two-lane rural roads, such maneuvers require the passing driver to occupy the opposing lane; this condition has tremendous implications for the safety and operation of two-lane roads. Several studies have investigated the passing behavior of drivers, and some studies have used driving simulators to analyze drivers’ behavior during following and passing maneuvers. However, the validity of simulators has not been ensured, because their results have rarely been compared with real data. The objective of this study was to compare drivers’ passing behavior as observed in the field with passing behavior in a driving simulator. For this purpose, data on passing performance and passing gap acceptance decisions were required. The study carried out a comparative analysis of the most significant variables related to passing behavior. The results showed similarities between passing time and passing distance of completed maneuvers (during the occupation of the opposing lane). However, drivers passed faster in the driving simulator and maintained greater clearances. Gap acceptance decisions were found to be similar, as the distributions of accepted and rejected gaps were similar, although critical gaps were found to be lower in the driving simulator. This finding might be explained by the absence of objective risks. The applicability of driving simulation seems reasonable, although some improvements are still possible, to account for sight distance limitations, replicate age and gender distributions, and reproduce the opposing traffic flow.

01586807

16-1777

English

pp 29–38

2016

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

9780309441186

Print

Figures (5) ; References (32) ; Tables (3)

Behavior; Drivers; Driving simulators; Field studies; Gap acceptance; Passing; Two lane highways

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Jan 12 2016 4:45PM

• Critical Assessment of Methodologies for Operations and Safety Evaluations of Freeway Turbulence
• Examination of the Free-Flow Speed Distribution on Two-Lane Rural Roads
• Impact of Exit Ramp Geometric Treatments at Diverging Diamond Interchanges on Queue Spillback
• Maintenance of Traffic for Innovative Geometric Design Work Zones
• Optimization of Variable Approach Lane Use at Isolated Signalized Intersections
• Roundabouts as a Form of Access Management
• Site-Specific Safety Analysis of Diverging Diamond Interchange Ramp Terminals
• Statistical Analysis of Effects of Access, Traffic Exposure, and Frontage Parameters on Sale Price of Commercial Real Property in Kansas