The Impact of Roadway Intersection Design on Driving Performance of Young and Senior Adults: Preliminary Results

This article reports on a study undertaken to determine the impact of roadway intersection design on the driving performance of both young and senior adults. The authors used kinematics measures from an instrumented vehicle and on-road evaluations to examine the safety effects of improved versus unimproved intersections in older (aged 65-85 years, n =19) and younger (aged 25-45 years, n = 26) drivers. Preliminary results indicated significant differences between the improved and unimproved road conditions. The kinematics measures showed that, in general, driving through the improved intersections produced less force on the car as it was making the turn, resulting in drivers negotiating improved intersections with greater speed. However, the behavioral measures showed that drivers overall made fewer total errors on the improved intersections, with older drivers having a higher mean number of errors. The authors conclude that newer Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidelines for safe road conditions will result in safer driving by both older and younger adults.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08827524
• Authors:
  • Classen, Sherrilene
  • Shechtman, Orit
  • Stephens, Burton
  • Davis, Ethan
  • Bendixen, Roxanna
  • Belchior, Patricia
  • Sandhu, Milapt
  • Justiss, Michael
  • Posse, Christina
  • McCarthy, Dennis
  • Mann, William
• Publication Date: 2006-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 18-26
• Serial:
  • Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation
  • Volume: 22
  • Issue Number: 1
  • ISSN: 0882-7524

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acceleration lanes; Adults; Aged; Aged drivers; Automobile drivers; Behavior; Intersections; Kinetics; Measuring instruments; Safety; Traffic speed; Turning lanes; Turning traffic
• Uncontrolled Terms: Roadway conditions; Turning
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I70: Traffic and Transport; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01045299
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 30 2007 7:48AM