The contribution of credible speed limits and ISA to speed control: a driving simulator study

De bijdrage van geloofwaardige limieten en ISA aan snelheidsbeheersing: een rijsimulatorstudie

This study examines the effect of credible speed limits on speed behaviour, with or without an Intelligent Speed Assistant (ISA). In-vehicle ISA provides information about the speed limit and warns when the driver exceeds it. The study was carried out in a driving simulator. A total of 41 subjects drove along a set of rural roads with speed limits of 60, 80, and 100 km/h. The credibility of speed limits was manipulated by varying a number of road characteristics, being road width, presence of vegetation, and the type of separation of driving directions. The credibility deviated from optimal in two directions: less credible because the speed limit is experienced as being too high for the road and its environment, or because it was experienced as being too low. In the experiment, half of the subjects were supported by an ISA, and the other half were not. The credibility of speed limits influenced driving speed. When the speed limit was more credible, the driving speed was closer to the limit; when the speed limit was experienced as being too low, the subjects exceeded the limit; when they thought it was too high they drove below the limit. In general, ISA had a strong speed reducing effect. This effect got stronger as the limit became less credible, and was especially so for situations where the limit was experienced as being too low. The study also examined the effect of credible speed limits on exceeding the speed limit and on speed differences. Also the specific effect was examined of the three road and environment characteristics which were systematically varied along the 80 km/hour roads. The general conclusion is that the direction of the credibility effect found conforms to the expectation. Given a particular road and surroundings, if a speed limit is experienced as being too low, the subjects are inclined to keep to it less than when they regard it as being credible. This report may be accessed by Internet users at: http://www.swov.nl/rapport/R-2006-26.pdf

• Record URL:
  • http://www.swov.nl/rapport/R-2006-26.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute for Road Safety Research, SWOV

  Bezuidenhoutseweg 62
  The Hague,   Netherlands  2594 AW
• Authors:
  • VAN NES, C N
  • VAN SCHAGEN, I N
  • HOUTENBOS, M
  • MORSINK, P L
• Publication Date: 2007

Language

• Dutch

Media Info

• Pagination: 91p
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: R-2006-26

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Behavior; Crimes; Drivers; Driving; Driving simulators; Intelligent transportation systems; Rural highways; Simulation; Speed; Speed limits
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands
• ITRD Terms: 2267: Attitude (psychol); 9001: Behaviour; 1772: Driver; 1855: Driving (veh); 8735: Intelligent transport system; 8078: Netherlands; 1516: Offence; 2775: Rural road; 9103: Simulation; 1680: Simulator (driving); 5408: Speed; 624: Speed limit
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I73: Traffic Control; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01084207
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Institute for Road Safety Research, SWOV
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jan 7 2008 4:59PM