HIGHWAY GEOMETRIC DESIGN: THE ISSUE OF DRIVING BEHAVIOR VARIABILITY

Highway geometric design is carried out on the assumption of a design speed, which implies the notion of a "design driver". However, it is well known that driving behavior generally displays considerable variability. In this paper, two different perspectives of driving behavior variability are dealt with. The former sees variability as a consequence of the stochastic nature of physical quantities relating to driver behavior, such as speeds, acceptable friction factors, and perception-reaction times. According to the latter approach, variability is attributed to systematic differences among categories of road users; a notable example in this area is the case of aging drivers. Next, the authors present the two main philosophies for coping with driving behavior variability: one is focused on reducing variability, mainly through policy measures, whereas the other calls for engineering-based measures aimed at accommodating variability within highway design. Within the context of the variability-accommodation approach, emphasis is placed on the improvement of highway design guidelines. The concept of "forgiving design" is proposed, referring to the specification of above-minimum design requirements for locations of increased complexity, where the safety of "non-design" road users (such as older drivers) may be severely reduced. Examples of candidate cases for forgiving design are presented by the authors, and suggestions are made regarding the future incorporation of the concept in highway geometric design guidelines.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/circulars/ec003/toc.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00978515
• Supplemental Notes:
  • The proceedings have been edited by the Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System, College Station, Texas. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Dimitropoulos, I
  • KANELLAIDIS, G
• Conference:
  • International Symposium on Highway Geometric Design Practices
  • Location: Boston, Massachusetts
  • Date: 1995-8-30 to 1995-9-1
• Publication Date: 1998-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 41:1-7
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: E-C003
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Behavior; Drivers; Friction factor; Geometric design; Highway design; Reaction time; Speed; Variables
• Uncontrolled Terms: Forgiving design
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00794698
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: E-C003
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 13 2000 12:00AM