3110 Accident Analysis on Intersection Right Turning by Using Driving Simulator

YONEKAWA, Takashi; MURANO, Takahiko; AGA, Masami · 2011 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1299/jsmetld.2011.20.363

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Summary

This study investigates the causes and driver behaviors associated with intersection accidents involving right-turning vehicles and oncoming motorcycles, a common accident type in Japan often attributed to driver cognitive errors. To overcome the limitations of post-accident analysis, the researchers utilized a high-performance driving simulator capable of replicating realistic sensory experiences, including acceleration and deceleration forces. The experimental scenario simulated a right turn from a two-lane arterial road where a motorcycle suddenly emerged from behind a traffic jam in the opposing lane. This setup created a blind spot that only cleared for approximately two seconds after an oncoming car passed, presenting a critical window for detection. The experiment involved 291 drivers who were unaware of the specific accident scenario. Results indicated a high accident probability, with 23.0% of participants colliding with the motorcycle. Of those who collided, 4.8% failed to apply brakes, while 18.2% attempted to brake but could not avoid impact. Conversely, 18.2% successfully avoided collision through braking, and 54.3% passed safely without incident. The analysis revealed that drivers typically had less than one second between initiating a braking maneuver and collision; specifically, 75% of braking events occurred within one second of impact. Furthermore, drivers who applied brakes before collision were more likely to sustain frontal impacts at lower speeds, whereas those who did not brake often experienced side impacts, which carry higher fatality rates. To validate the simulator findings, the researchers compared the data with real-world accident records from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Event Data Recorder (EDR) database. They analyzed left-turning vehicle data (equivalent to right turns in left-hand traffic systems) involving straight-moving vehicles. The comparison showed that in real-world accidents, drivers frequently accelerated or maintained speed prior to collision, with braking often initiated less than one second before impact. This alignment between simulator behavior and EDR data confirmed the validity of the simulation results. The study concludes that the primary factor in these accidents is the extremely short permitted avoidance time, often under one second. The findings suggest that reducing vehicle speed when approaching intersections and predicting potential dangers are crucial for avoidance. Additionally, the results support the implementation of forward collision avoidance systems, such as pre-collision systems, as effective countermeasures to mitigate these high-risk intersection accidents. The research highlights the importance of active safety technologies in addressing scenarios where human reaction time is insufficient to prevent collisions.

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• driver vru interaction