Using Simulation to Assess and Reduce Conflicts between Drivers and Bicyclists

This paper presents an experiment conducted in a large-screen bicycling simulator to assess the impact of protected intersections on bicycle-vehicle conflicts by examining how bicyclists respond to vehicles making right-hook turns at protected vs. unprotected intersections. Participants were divided into four groups that differed by the road infrastructure (separated bike lane and protected intersections vs. conventional bike lane and unprotected intersections) and the presence (treatment) vs. absence (control) of vehicles making right-hook turns. Turning vehicles were timed to arrive at the conflict point 1 s or 1.5 s before the rider. The results show significant differences in the margin of safety between riders and turning vehicles at the conflict point where their paths cross in protected vs. unprotected intersections. The discussion focuses on the factors that underlie this difference, including the geometry of the rider’s path and the site lines as riders approach the conflict point in protected vs. unprotected intersections.

• Dataset URL:
  https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/KGF8GY
• 
• Record URL:
  http://safersim.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/final_reports/C1%20Y1%20UI%20Final%20Report.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/51776
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program. Supporting datasets available at: https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/KGF8GY
• Corporate Authors:

  Safety Research Using Simulation University Transportation Center (SaferSim)

  University of Iowa
  Iowa City, IA  United States  52242

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Plumert, Jodie M
  • 0000-0002-2150-7922
  • Kearney, Joseph K
  • 0000-0002-0443-8152
  • O'Neal, Elizabeth E
  • 0000-0002-3934-4009
  • Subramanian, Lakshmi Devi
  • 0000-0001-5066-011X
• Publication Date: 2020-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 34p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bicycle lanes; Bicycling; Cyclists; Drivers; Driving simulators; Highway design; Intersections; Right turns; Traffic conflicts; Traffic safety
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01744746
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747131
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 9 2020 11:59AM