DRIVER EXPECTANCY: DEFINITION FOR DESIGN

THE TRAFFIC SYSTEM IS A COMPLEX COMBINATION OF THREE MAJOR SUBSYSTEMS - THE DRIVER, HIS VEHICLE, AND THE SITUATIONAL CONTEXT OF THE ROADWAY. THE PRESENT PAPER ADDRESSES A SINGLE ASPECT OF THE DRIVER SUBSYSTEM, NAMELY DRIVER EXPECTANCY. THE OBJECTIVES WERE TO: (1) DEFINE DRIVER EXPECTANCY OPERATIONALLY; (2) DELINEATE FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE DRIVER EXPECTANCY; AND (3) PROPOSE A DESIGN PHILOSOPHY ACCOMPANIED BY AN ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUE FOR IMPLEMENTING DRIVER EXPECTANCY CRITERIA. AN OPERATIONAL DEFINITION WAS DEVELOPED WHICH DEFINED DRIVER EXPECTANCY IN TERMS OF THE CONDITIONS IT CAUSED RATHER THAN THE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSED IT. ALTHOUGH THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE DRIVER EXPECTANCY ARE PRIMARILY THOSE SAME FACTORS WHICH THE HIGHWAY ENGINEER NOW USES IN ROADWAY DESIGN, THE APPROACH SUGGESTED WILL REQUIRE THE DESIGNER TO EXAMINE THESE FACTORS FROM A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. A GENERAL DESIGN PHILOSOPHY PROPOSED COUPLED WITH A FLOW ANALYSIS AND CHECKLIST FOR GENERAL USE IN IMPLEMENTING DRIVER EXPECTANCY IN ROADWAY DESIGN. /HSRI/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Rept No 606-5
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
  Arlington, TX  United States  76011
• Authors:
  • Ellis, N C
• Publication Date: 1972-6

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 67 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Definitions; Drivers; Driving; Expected value; Highway design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driving conditions
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver psychology; Expectation
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226512
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 17 1973 12:00AM