Exploring Driver Error at Intersections: Key Contributors and Solutions
Abstract
A large portion of crashes occur at intersections, and most such crashes are associated with driver mistakes. Severe mistakes may lead to serious injuries; therefore, it is necessary to investigate the factors that contribute to driver error and how those factors influence driver behavior. More information on these contributing factors can help researchers develop cost-effective countermeasures that might help mitigate driver error. The primary objective of this study was to examine key contributors to driver error that took place at uncontrolled, sign-controlled, and signalized intersections. An ordered-probit statistical model and a data-mining technique called “association rules” were implemented to explore these relationships. The results of both approaches were consistent. Association rules were found to be capable of discovering patterns in the data that could not be found in the ordered-probit statistical model. The secondary objective of this study was to provide new insights on how to improve intersection safety by adding to the knowledge regarding the contributing factors of those driver errors. Most, if not all, errors are related to human factors; thus, they can effectively be corrected through a holistic approach that involves engineering, enforcement, and education.
Get full access to this article
View all access and purchase options for this article.
References
1. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). NHTSA U.S. Department of Transportation. http://www.nhtsa.gov/FARS.
2. Wierwille W. Hanowski R. Hankey J. Kieliszewski C. Lee S. Medina A. Keisler A., and Dingus T. Identification and Evaluation of Driver Errors: Overview and Recommendations. Report FHWA-RD-02-003. FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2002.
3. Devlin A. Candappa N. Corben B., and Logan D. Designing Safer Roads to Accommodate Driver Error. Project 09-006 RSC. Curtin–Monash Accident Research Center, Curtin University, Bentley, Perth, Western Australia, 2011.
4. Bao S., and Boyle L. Age-Related Differences in Visual Scanning at Median-Divided Highway Intersections in Rural Areas. Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 41, No. 1, 2009, pp. 146–152.
5. Keay L. Jasti S. Munoz B. Turano K. Munro C., and Duncan D. Urban and Rural Differences in Older Drivers’ Failure to Stop at Stop Signs. Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 41, No. 5, 2009, pp. 995–1000.
6. Takemoto M. Kosaka H., and Nishitani H. A Study on the Relationships Between Unsafe Driving Behaviors and Driver's Inner Factors When Entering a Non-Signalized Intersection. Journal of Computers, Vol. 3, No. 9, 2008, pp. 39–49.
7. Wang X., and Abdel-Aty M. A. Right-Angle Crash Occurrence at Signalized Intersections. In Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2219, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2007, pp. 156–168.
8. Preusser D. Williams A. Ferguson S. Ulmer R., and Weinstein H. Fatal Crash Risk for Older Drivers at Intersections. Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 30, No. 2, 1998, pp. 151–159.
9. Fitzpatrick K. Brewer M., and Parham A. Left-Turn and In-Lane Rumble Strip Treatments for Rural Intersections. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, 2003.
10. Baldock M. Long A. Lindsay V., and McLean A. Rear End Crashes. Center for Automotive Safety Research, Adelaide, Australia, 2005.
11. Braitman K. Kirley B. Ferguson S., and Chaudray N. Factors Leading to Older Drivers’ Intersection Crashes. Traffic Injury Prevention, Vol. 8, 2007, pp. 65–72.
12. Stokes R. Rys M. Russell E. Robinson R., and Budke B. Analysis of Rural Intersection Accidents Caused by Stop Sign Violation and Failure to Yield the Right-of-Way. Kansas State University, Manhattan, 2000.
13. Lord D. Van Schalkwyk I., Chrysler S., and Staplin L. A Strategy to Reduce Older Driver Injuries at Intersections Using More Accommodating Roundabout Design Practices. Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 39, 2007, pp. 427–432.
14. Differences and Similarities Between Careless and Reckless Driving. JMP Driving and Traffic School, Miami, Fla. http://jmpdrivingschool.com/?p=1596.
15. Reckless Driving Charge. DUI Foundation, Anelli Xavier, New York, NY. http://www.duifoundation.org/drunkdriving/trafficviolations/recklessdriving.
16. Yang C., and Najm W. Examining Driver Behavior Using Data Gathered from Red Light Photo Enforcement Cameras. Journal of Safety Research, Vol. 38, No. 3, 2007, pp. 311–321.
17. Papaioannou P. Driver Behavior, Dilemma Zone and Safety Effects at Urban Signalized Intersections in Greece. Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 39, No. 1, 2007, pp. 147–158.
18. Bonneson J. Zimmerman K., and Brewer M. Guidelines to Reduce Red Light Running. Project 4027–5. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, 2003.
19. Staplin L. Lococo K. Byington S., and Harkey D. Highway Design Handbook: For Older Drivers and Pedestrians. Report FHWA-RD-01-103. FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2001.
20. Gross F. Jagannathan R. Persaud B. Lyon C. Eccles K., and Lefler N. Safety Evaluation of Stop Ahead Pavement Markings. Report FHWA-HRT-08-043. FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2007.
21. Wentz B. Warzala D., and Harder K. The Effects of Rumble Strips on Drivers Approaching Rural, Stop-Controlled Intersections. Minnesota Department of Transportation, Saint Paul, 2006.
22. Cummings P. Koepsell T. Moffat J., and Rivara F. Drowsiness, Countermeasures to Drowsiness, and the Risk of Motor Vehicle Crash. Injury Prevention, Vol 7, No. 3, 2001, pp. 194–199.
23. Tay R. The Effectiveness of Enforcement and Publicity Campaigns on Serious Crashes Involving Young Male Drivers: Are Drink Driving and Speeding Similar? Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 37, No. 5, 2005, pp. 922–929.
24. Campbell J. Lichty M. Brown J. Richard C. Graving J. Graham J. O'Laughlin M. Torbic D., and Harwood D. NCHRP Report 600: Human Factor Guidelines for Road Systems, 2nd ed. Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2012.
25. Golembiewski G., and Chandler B. Intersection Safety: A Manual for Local Rural Road Owners. Report FHWA-SA-11-08. FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2011.
26. The National Intersection Safety Problem. Report FHWA-SA-10-005. FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2009. http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/resources/fhwasa10005/docs/brief_2.pdf.
27. Montella A. Massimo A. D'Ambrosio A., and Mauriello F. Analysis of Powered Two-Wheeler Crashes in Italy by Classification Trees and Rules Discovery. Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 49, 2012, pp. 58–72.
28. Washington S. Karlaftis M., and Mannering F. L. Statistical and Econometric Methods for Transportation Data Analysis, 2nd ed. Chapman and Hall/CRC, Boca Raton, Fla., 2011.
29. Cios J. Pedrycz W. Swiniarski R., and Kurgan L. Data Mining: A Knowledge Discovery Approach. Springer Publishing, New York, 2007.
30. Accident Reporting. Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Madison. http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/drivers/traffic/accident.htm.
31. Law Enforcement Officer's Instruction Manual for Completing the Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Accident Report Form (MV 4000). Division of Motor Vehicles, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Madison, 1998. http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/docs/manual-mv4000.pdf.
32. Revised Uniform State Traffic Deposit Schedule. Wisconsin Judicial Conference, Director of State Courts Office, Madison, 2012. http://www.wicourts.gov/publications/fees/docs/bondsched12.pdf.
33. Choi E. Crash Factors in Intersection-Related Crashes: An On-Scene Perspective. Report DOT-HS-811-366. NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2010.
34. Qin X. Wang K., and Cutler C. E. Logistic Regression Models of the Safety of Large Trucks. In Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2392, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2013, pp. 1–10.
35. Wang K., and Qin X. Use of Structural Equation Modeling to Measure Severity of Single-Vehicle Crashes. In Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2432, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2014, pp. 17–25.
Cite article
Cite article
Cite article
OR
Download to reference manager
If you have citation software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice
Information, rights and permissions
Information
Published In
Article first published online: January 1, 2015
Issue published: January 2015
Authors
Metrics and citations
Metrics
Journals metrics
This article was published in Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board.
VIEW ALL JOURNAL METRICSArticle usage*
Total views and downloads: 91
*Article usage tracking started in December 2016
Altmetric
See the impact this article is making through the number of times it’s been read, and the Altmetric Score.
Learn more about the Altmetric Scores
Articles citing this one
Receive email alerts when this article is cited
Web of Science: 0
Crossref: 12
- Aberrant behaviors of drivers involved in crashes and related injury s...
- Using closed-circuit television cameras to analyze traffic safety at i...
- Investigating the interaction between age and liability for crashes at...
- Traffic Strategy for Mixed Traffic in Container Terminals
- Are Older Drivers Safe on Interchanges? Analyzing Driving Errors Causi...
- Data mining and machine learning techniques
- Investigating exposure measures and functional forms in urban and subu...
- Crash Data-Based Investigation into How Injury Severity Is Affected by...
- Examining the Environmental, Vehicle, and Driver Factors Associated wi...
- Evaluation of Not-At-Fault Assumption in Quasi-Induced Exposure Method...
- Exploration of Contributing Factors Related to Driver Errors on Highwa...
- Learning How to Drive in Blind Intersections from Human Data
Figures and tables
Figures & Media
Tables
View Options
Get access
Access options
If you have access to journal content via a personal subscription, university, library, employer or society, select from the options below:
loading institutional access options
Alternatively, view purchase options below:
Purchase 24 hour online access to view and download content.
Access journal content via a DeepDyve subscription or find out more about this option.
