Driving Behavior during Right-Turn Maneuvers at Intersections on Left-Hand Traffic Roads

Area of Science:

• Traffic Safety and Human Factors
• Automotive Engineering
• Experimental Psychology

Background:

• Right-turn crashes involving pedestrians are frequent in left-hand traffic countries like Japan, especially at lower speeds.
• Understanding driver behavior, including eye movements and speed, during right-turn maneuvers is crucial for preventing accidents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze driver eye glances and vehicle speeds during right-turn maneuvers at intersections on left-hand traffic roads.
• To compare driving behavior between a sedan and a light-duty truck when encountering pedestrian dummies.

Main Methods:

• Experimental investigation of driver gaze, vehicle speed, and trajectory using a sedan and a light-duty truck.
• Four conditions were tested: no pedestrian dummy, right pedestrian dummy, left pedestrian dummy, and both.
• Measurements included gaze duration at specific areas of interest (AOI) and vehicle speed at intersection entry (L1) and pedestrian crossing (L0).

Main Results:

• Total gaze time was not significantly affected by vehicle type, but drivers spent significantly less time looking at right-side pedestrian dummies compared to left-side ones.
• Light-duty trucks generally traveled at lower speeds (L1 and L0) than sedans, although differences were not always significant.
• Estimated time to collision (TTC) with pedestrian dummies was significantly shorter for sedans compared to light-duty trucks, indicating a potentially higher risk.

Conclusions:

• Driver attention is biased towards the left during right turns, potentially neglecting pedestrians on the right.
• Vehicle type influences TTC, with sedans exhibiting shorter TTCs, suggesting a need for tailored driver support systems.
• Findings can inform the development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to enhance safety during right-turn maneuvers.