Citation

Wright S, Sleight RB. Highw. Res. Board bull. 1962; 330: 52-59.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1962, National Research Council (U.S.A.), Highway Research Board)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Little information is presently available on the relation between various driver characteristics and following distance. Using a photographic technique for measuring distance between vehicles, two experiments were designed to measure (1) the effects on following distance of driver set, or general attitude toward the particular driving situation, and (2) the ability of drivers to maintain specified following distances, both with unaided vision and with two simple judgment aids. When drivers were asked to drive on a newly constructed highway not yet open to traffic under each of three sets--emergency, habitual, and maximum safety--at speeds of both 30 and 50 mph, the results indicated that drivers believed they habitually drove with maximum safety, as far as actual following distances were concerned. The distances obtained under the habitual set were found to be somewhat greater than those found in regular traffic on similar highways by previous investigators. Both aids to distance judgment substantially reduced errors made with the unaided eye, at both 6- and 8-car lengths and a speed of 40 mph.