Influence of traffic congestion on driver behavior in post-congestion driving

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention Vol. 141; p. 105508
• Main Authors: Li, Guofa, Lai, Weijian, Sui, Xiaoxuan, Li, Xiaohang, Qu, Xingda, Zhang, Tingru, Li, Yuezhi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2020
• Subjects: Advanced driver assistance systems; Driver behavior; Driving safety; Hierarchical clustering; Traffic congestion; Hierarchical clustering; Driver behavior; Advanced driver assistance systems; Driving safety; Traffic congestion
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2020.105508

•Congestion effects on driver behavior in post-congestion driving were examined.•Congestion negatively affected driver behavior on the post-congestion roads.•More aggressive driving patterns were observed in post-congestion driving.•Drivers became less focused on the dashboard area in post-congestion driving.•Findings here highlight the importance of attending to safe driving after congestion. Traffic congestion is more likely to lead to aggressive driving behavior that is associated with increased crash risks. Previous studies mainly focus on driving behavior during congestion when studying congestion effects. However, the negative effects of congestion on driving behavior may also affect drivers’ post-congestion driving. To fill this research gap, this study examined the influence of traffic congestion on driver behavior on the post-congestion roads (i.e., the roads travelled right after congestion). Twenty-five subjects participated in a driving simulation study. They were asked to complete two trials corresponding to post-congestion and non-congestion conditions, respectively. Driver behavior quantified by driving performance measures, eye movement measures, and electroencephalogram (EEG) measures was compared between the two conditions. Ten features were selected from the measures with statistical significance. The selected features were integrated to characterize drivers’ response patterns using a hierarchical clustering method. The results showed that driver behavior in post-congestion situations became more aggressive, more focused in the forward area but less focused in the dashboard area, and was associated with lower power of the β-band in the temporal brain region. The clustering results showed more aggressive and lack-of-aware response patterns while driving in post-congestion situations. This study revealed that traffic congestion negatively affected driver behavior on the post-congestion roads. Practical implications for driving safety education was discussed based on the findings from the present study.