A TOOL TO EVALUATE THE SAFETY OF LOW-VOLUME ROADS USING THE PRINCIPLES OF DRIVER EXPECTANCY

The concepts of driver expectancy and positive guidance are the foundations of the Kansas Low Volume Roads (LVR) Handbook. As a companion to the handbook, Commentary Driving was developed as a tool for evaluating LVR situations where roadway conditions and/or signing "surprise a driver", i.e., violate a driver's expectancy. These are potentially high-risk locations. Commentary Driving is a technique where a driver drives a route while he/she makes a running commentary of expectations and particularly, expectations of the road ahead and driving requirements to proceed safely. The author used a number of manuals and course materials over the years to teach the technique. The training progressed from subjects driving vans over specified routes to having subjects view videos. The final step was to develop a commercial production of a self-taught, interactive video/workbook. With this media it is possible to teach and promote the technique worldwide. The paper starts with definitions and discussion of driver expectancy, positive guidance and related principles, and the importance of these principles to road safety. The paper explains the relationship between commentary driving and the principles of driver expectancy and positive guidance. The Commentary Driving technique is recommended as a quick, efficient, low-cost tool to evaluate road safety. It could be used as a key element of an LVR Safety Audit program. The paper continues with a "how to" section to illustrate exactly how the commentary driving technique is performed. The paper concludes with a discussion of techniques used at Kansas State University to teach the technique.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/1102626X
• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  Glenthorne House, Hammersmith Grove
  London W6OL9,   England 
• Authors:
  • Russell, E R
• Conference:
  • Traffic Safety on Two Continents
  • Location: Malmo, Sweden
  • Date: 1999-9-20 to 1999-9-22
• Publication Date: 1998

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 153-168
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute
  • Publisher: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Driver improvement programs; Drivers; High risk locations; Highway safety; Human factors; Low volume roads; Perception; Positive guidance; Safety; Safety education; Traffic signs; Training
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver expectancy; Road conditions
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00766088
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: VTI konferens 9A part 3
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jul 22 2004 12:00AM