A comparison of experienced and novice drivers’ rear-end collision avoidance maneuvers under urgent decelerating events

• Published in: Transportation research. Part F, Traffic psychology and behaviour Vol. 76; pp. 353 - 368
• Main Authors: Yang, Zhao, Yu, Qiuying, Zhang, Wenhui, Shen, Hangxian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Automobile drivers; Automobile driving; Braking; Braking force; Braking systems; Collision avoidance; Collision avoidance maneuvers; Crashes; Deceleration; Driver behavior; Driver response time; Driving simulator; Emergency communications systems; Maneuvers; Rear-end crash; Risk perception; Steering wheel angle; Traffic accidents & safety; Warning systems; Steering wheel angle; Driving simulator; Collision avoidance maneuvers; Braking force; Rear-end crash
• ISSN: 1369-8478; 1873-5517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2020.12.009

•The urgent decelerating events were programmed in the simulator.•The subjects tended to execute two types of maneuvers to avoid crash.•Driving experiences significantly influenced some factors of Driving behavior.•Novice drivers should brake only when the leading vehicle suddenly decelerates. A leading vehicle’s sudden deceleration can lead to a rear-end collision. Due to a lack of driving experience, novice drivers have a greater tendency to be involved in these accidents. Most previous studies have examined driver response time and braking behaviors, but few researchers have focused on what experienced and novice drivers did after their feet touched the braking pedal and their hands turned the steering wheel. These braking and steering parameters are essential in understanding driver avoidance behavior during emergencies. We programmed rear-end crash risk scenarios to examine experienced and novice drivers’ behaviors thoroughly using a driving simulator. Twenty experienced and twenty five novice subjects participated in our experiments, and their braking and steering maneuvers were recorded when leading vehicles ran at 60 km/h, 80 km/h and 100 km/h. The results showed that the two groups of subjects tended to execute two kinds of maneuvers to avoid crashes: braking only (novice 33%, experienced 19%) and the combination of braking with steering (novice 22%, experienced 26%). When the novice drivers executed braking with steering, their response time and steering duration were significantly longer than those of the experienced drivers who executed braking with steering. As the speed increased, the novice drivers’ response time, maximum braking force and maximum steering angle were significantly affected. These results showed that novice drivers should brake only when the leading vehicle suddenly decelerates. The experienced drivers executed steadier maneuvers. Their risk perception time was shorter, and their maximum braking force and the maximum steering angles were smaller. The response time, braking intensity and steering wheel angle should be considered when developing rear-end collision warning systems.