01625605

Component

This study aimed to explore the impact of horizontal highway design on fatigued drivers’ lateral performance. In total, 41 middle-aged drivers in China were recruited to participate in a field driving test. The test trip was 550 kilometers expressway, including 81 tangents, 41 transition curves and 90 circular curves with radii ranging from 2,230 to 10,000 meters. The self-reported fatigue level was recorded according to the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS); the standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP) was recorded for performance analysis and the GPS data were recorded as location information. Driving performance under different fatigue levels and at different horizontal curve types and curve radii were analyzed. The multi-linear regression model was further proposed in this study to explore the correlation among the SDLP, fatigue level and circular curve radius. The results indicated that when participants were driving along a circular curve, their SDLP was greater than when driving along a tangent or transition curve. The analysis results on the impact of curve radius on SDLP indicated that the participants’ driving performance is worse when the circular radius is higher, especially when greater than 5,500 meters. The regression analysis results indicated that when the horizontal curve radius is considered in evaluating the driving performance, the regression correlation coefficient is improved in comparison to the regression model without considering the highway’s geometric influence. The results also showed the curve radius has a positive impact on SDLP. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the impact of the geometric design of horizontal curve types and curve radius on driving performance when drivers are influenced by different fatigue levels. In addition, if the horizontal geometrical parameters can be obtained during driving, the accuracy of identifying fatigued driving based on driving performance can be improved.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANB70 Standing Committee on Truck and Bus Safety.

01618707

17-03644

English

16p

2017

Transportation Research Board 96th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Photos; References (27) ; Tables

Driver performance; Driving; Driving tests; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Highway curves; Highway design

China

Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2017 Paper #17-03644

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 8 2016 11:23AM