Kaneswaran, David (2014) Assessment of the Effects of Road Geometry on Irish Accident Rates and Driving Behaviour. Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
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Abstract
The following thesis documents the work carried out throughout two main experiments.
The first experiment analyses driver crash data and extracts from it accidents that may
have occurred as a result of road segments with bad geometry. A visualisation and
analysis of this crash data is presented to better determine the relationship ‘if any’
between road geometry and accident points. The second experiment then examines
driver behaviour on road segments that also contain bad bends using a purpose built
driving simulator. This experiment is ‘driver centric’ as it measures behaviour such as
eye movement. Both experiments examine contrasting Irish roadways with an aim to
better understand the driver when negotiating various geometries. Findings from the
crash data analysis initially show the majority of accidents occurring on straight
segments of the road types examined. However, when these accident frequencies are
normalised against the percentage of road that consist of straights and bends, interesting
signals appear on road types that combine sharp bends with higher road speed limits.
Results from driver eye behaviour analysis show drivers fixating on regions of the road
based on visible geometry or available sight distance. For example, drivers fixate on
areas at the road bend while negotiating sharp bends and fixate further on or above the
road surface when traversing straight segments.
Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
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Keywords: | Road Geometry; Irish Accident Rates; Driving Behaviour; |
Academic Unit: | Faculty of Science and Engineering > Computer Science |
Item ID: | 6328 |
Depositing User: | IR eTheses |
Date Deposited: | 03 Sep 2015 13:59 |
URI: | https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/6328 |
Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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