The Effect of New Technologies on Speed Distributions

Funding Organisation: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

1999-2001

This project investigated the effect of both advisory and mandatory speed control (Intelligent Speed Adaptation, ISA) on speeds and other safety-related behaviours using the Leeds Advanced Driving Simulator. Drivers were selected on the basis of their mileage and accident involvement in the previous five years. All drivers drove a route in three situations - with no ISA, with the advisory system and with the mandatory system. The route comprised of urban, rural and motorway driving scenarios and data were collected on behaviours such as gap acceptance, propensity to commit traffic violations, risk of overtaking manoeuvres along with more common measures such as speed and lane choice. Results confirmed that new technologies such as ISA may have differential effects, depending on driving style and hence risk. There is a group of drivers who have more risky behaviours across a wide range of parameters and who have elevated risk. These drivers exhibit very different responses to the new systems from those of less risky drivers.