Slow Down: Keep Your Distance

'Slow Down - Keep Your Distance' is a research based road safety project using innovative strategies to reach younger drivers. The issue of rear end collisions is identified as a local road safety priority in the Auburn and Parramatta Local Government Areas (LGA) Road Safety Action Plans as Strategic Plans. Research included the analysis of crash data, driver interviews and observational studies of stopping distances. However, as the research was conducted there was found to be a distinct lack of resources dealing with rear end collisions currently available on both a national and state level. Rear end collisions are not an issue that can be separated and analysed for a specific cause. Contributing factors include speed, prevailing road conditions and driver distraction. However, the solution of "maintaining a suitable following distance" does seem to overcome the influence of these other factors. Our conclusion is that a suitable following distance provides drivers with enough time and space to recover from their mistakes (speed, distraction, etc). Given the lack of available resources, the project was aimed at raising driver awareness and understanding of correct distances between moving vehicles.

• Authors:
  • Letunica, M
  • Henderson, S
  • Tynan, D
  • Kennedy, T
• Conference:
  • International Road Safety Conference, 2007, Perth, Western Australia
• Publication Date: 2007-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 8p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Car following; Driver education; Highway safety; Rear end crashes; Speed control; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road safety (human factors)
• Geographic Terms: New South Wales
• ATRI Terms: Car following; Crash countermeasure; Driver education; Rear end crash; Road safety; Speed control
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01384921
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 22 2012 6:23PM