Empirical Study of Impact of Icy Roadway Surface Condition on Driver Car-Following Behavior

Research was done to quantify the impact of icy roadway conditions on driver car-following behavior. The data used in the study were gathered by a group of researchers at Japan’s Hokkaido University in a controlled environment under dry and icy roadway conditions. The data were used to calibrate the Van Aerde steady-state car-following model, along with vehicle acceleration and deceleration constraints. The impact of icy roadway conditions on five driver-specific car-following parameters [driver perception–reaction time (PRT), free-flow or desired speed, speed-at-capacity, capacity, and jam density] was conducted with one-way analysis of variance and Kruskal–Wallis tests. The results demonstrate that icy roadway conditions produce statistically significant differences at a 5% significance level. Specifically, icy roadway conditions reduce the mean free-flow speed, speed at capacity, and capacity by 28%, 13%, and 46%, respectively, compared with driving on dry roadways. The mean PRT for icy conditions is found to take 13% longer than driving under dry conditions. The longer PRTs can be attributed to drivers driving at lower speeds and larger spacing on icy surfaces compared with dry conditions.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/2260-16
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Empirical+Study+of+Impact+of+Icy+Roadway+Surface+Condition+on+Driver+Car-Following+Behavior&author=S.+Park&author=H.+Rakha&author=R.+Alfelor&author=C.+Yang&author=D.+Krechmer&publication_year=2011
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/166655.aspx
• Authors:
  • Park, Sangjun
  • Rakha, Hesham
  • Alfelor, Roemer
  • Yang, C Y David
  • Krechmer, Daniel
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 140-151
• Monograph Title: Traffic Flow Theory and Characteristics 2011
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
  • Issue Number: 2260
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis of variance; Behavior; Calibration; Car following; Drivers; Free flow speeds; Highway capacity; Icy roads; Mathematical models; Perception; Reaction time; Traffic flow; Traffic speed
• Geographic Terms: Japan
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I71: Traffic Theory;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01336925
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309222976
• Report/Paper Numbers: 11-1034
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 18 2011 12:24PM