Evaluation of Driver Performance While Making Unprotected Intersection Turns Utilizing Naturalistic Data Integration Methods

Within the set of all vehicle crashes that occur annually, of intersection-related crashes are over-represented. The research conducted here uses an empirical approach to study driver behavior at intersections, in a naturalistic paradigm. A data-mining algorithm was used to aggregate the data from two different naturalistic databases to obtain instances of unprotected turns at the same intersection. Several dependent variables were analyzed which included visual entropy, mean-duration of glances to locations in the driver's view, gap-acceptance/rejection time. Kinematic dependent variables include peak/average speed, and peak longitudinal and lateral acceleration. Results indicated that visual entropy and peak speed differs amongst drivers of the three age-groups (older, middle-age, teens) in the presence of traffic in the intersecting streams while negotiating a left turn. Although not significant, but approaching significance, were differences in gap acceptance times, with the older driver accepting larger gaps compared to the younger teen drivers. Significant differences were observed for peak speed and average speed during a left turn, with younger drivers exhibiting higher values for both. Overall, this research has resulted in contribution towards two types of engineering application. Firstly, the analyses of traffic levels, gap acceptance, and gap non-acceptance represented exploratory efforts, ones that ventured into new areas of technical content, using newly available naturalistic driving data. Secondly, the findings from this thesis are among the few that can be used to inform the further development, refinement, and testing of technology (and training) solutions intended to assist drivers in making successful turns and avoiding crashes at intersections.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Aich, Sudipto

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Angell, Linda S.
• Winchester, Woodrow W. III

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Kleiner, Brian M.

• Visual glances
• Middle-Age
• Teen
• Older
• Unprotected Turn
• Entropy
• Naturalistic Driving
• Gap Acceptance
• Data mining
• Intersection

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Dc Identifier Other

etd-11272011-200024

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/76892