Citation

Figueroa A, Hwee K, Tarko AP. Proc. Road Saf. Four Continents Conf. 2005; 13: 12p.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Conference Sponsor)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Misinterpretation of the risk by motorists has been recognized as a significant factor of highway crashes. Individual drivers use their risk perception when selecting speed on the road or accepting gap in the priority stream when entering an intersection. Risk perception, when driving under free-flow conditions, is mostly influenced by the physical characteristics of the roadway, the driver skills, and the performance of the vehicle. A deeper understanding of the risk perception factors is important in designing safer highways and improving driving conditions. This paper presents the results of a video-based survey that was used to identify and measure the subjective risk of drivers on four-lane highways. An ordered probit model with random effects was developed to identify the motorist and roadway characteristics that affect the safety ratings of different highway segments. Five demographic and seven roadway characteristics were identified as risk perception factors. The video-based survey was proven to be a useful method. The participants in this study were able to perceive the risk on the observed highway segments consistently. As the roadway conditions on the observed highway segments improved, the more inclined the subjects in the study were to perceive less risk.