Predicting Driver Emergency Response Behaviour through Time-to-Impact
2022-01-0971
03/29/2022
- Content
- Conventional forensic analyses of collision avoidance behaviours involve assigning a perception and response time (PRT) interval to a driver that precedes the onset of evasive action. However, this approach relies on the investigator identifying a ‘time zero’ for when to begin the PRT interval, which should align with the first moment of hazard detection. Depending on the incident circumstances, this moment may not be readily apparent or appropriate. Recent research has shown potential for a more universally applicable method that is based on the relationship between response onset and the projected time-to-impact (TTI). Accordingly, the aim of this research is to further investigate this relationship with diverse hazard scenarios. Twenty-one subjects viewed driver-perspective recordings of a simulated vehicle travelling down a major roadway past several two-way stop-controlled minor roads. At various intersections, intruding vehicles entered from either the left or right. These intruders were either stationary at the stop bar and accelerated into the major roadway, or were travelling at a constant speed from a distance. Other intruding vehicles turned across the subject’s path from the opposing direction. Subjects were instructed to brake their vehicle when they perceived that evasive actions were required to avoid a collision. A total of 14 different hazard conditions were presented. The TTIs at which subjects responded were compared against the times available to respond (TTR) when the intruders first began moving or first became visible, depending on the hazard scenario. Results revealed that subjects responded within a narrow TTI range to lateral intruders, on average, regardless of the intruders’ approach direction or TTR. Responses to left-turn-across-path intruders did not conform to the prevailing trends, indicating that they are perceived differently than predicted by the TTI model. These results advance our understanding of the perceptual cues used by drivers when confronted with collision hazards.
- Citation
- Erazo, F., and Campbell, A., "Predicting Driver Emergency Response Behaviour through Time-to-Impact," SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-0971, 2022, .