PERCEPTUAL AND FIELD FACTORS CAUSING LATERAL DISPLACEMENT

AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO ANALYZE CERTAIN OF THE UNDERLYING FACTORS THAT CAUSE THE LATERAL DISPLACEMENT OF A VEHICLE AWAY FROM A ROADSIDE OBJECT. THE INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED IN DAYLIGHT AND UNDER FREE FIELD CONDITIONS. FOR SEVERAL CONDITIONS OF OBJECT LOCATION AND VEHICLE SPEED, THE LATERAL POSITION OF THE VEHICLE WAS MEASURED CONTINUOUSLY OVER A 5,000-FT SPECIALLY PREPARED TEST TRACK. THE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT LATERAL DISPLACEMENT IS A SPECIAL CASE IN THE FIELD OF VISUAL VELOCITY PERCEPTION. RELATIVE TO THE OBSERVER, THE DISPLACING OBJECT EFFECTIVELY MOVES LATERALLY ACROSS THE RETINA WITH A DEFINABLE ANGULAR VELOCITY. DRIVERS REACT TO THIS APPARENT VELOCITY BY DETERMINING WHEN AND HOW MUCH THEY SHOULD DISPLACE ON THE BASIS OF THE TIME AND DISTANCE AT WHICH THAT VELOCITY INCREASES SHARPLY. RATIONALIZATION IS OFFERED FOR THE EFFECTS OF LATERAL DISPLACEMENT ON HIGHWAY CAPACITY AND AS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IN COLLISION AVOIDANCE UNDER LOW ILLUMINATION LEVELS AND HEADLIGHT GLARE.

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  • Supplemental Notes:
    • 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.
  • Authors:
    • Michaels, R M
    • Cozan, L W
  • Publication Date: 1963

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: pp 1-13
  • Monograph Title: Driver characteristics, night visibility, and driving simulation
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00222511
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM