The behavioral validation of an advanced driving simulator for its use in evaluating passive level crossing countermeasures was performed for stopping compliance and speed profile.
Background:
Despite the fact that most research on emerging interventions for improving level crossing safety is conducted in a driving simulator, no study has validated the use of a simulator for this type of research.
Method:
We monitored driver behavior at a selected passive level crossing in the Brisbane region in Australia for 3 months (N = 916). The level crossing was then replicated in an advanced driving simulator, and we familiarized participant drivers (N = 54) with traversing this crossing, characterized by low road and rail traffic.
Results:
We established relative validity for the stopping compliance and the approach speed.
Conclusion:
This validation study suggests that driving simulators are an appropriate tool to study the effects of interventions at passive level crossing with low road and rail traffic, which are prone to reduced compliance due to familiarity.
Application:
This study also provides support for the findings of previous driving simulator studies conducted to evaluate compliance and approach speeds of passive level crossings.
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. (2011). A policy on geometric design of highways and streets (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
2.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau. (2002). Monograph 10. level crossing accidents. Civic Square, ACT, Australia: ACT, Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services.
3.
BellaF. (2005). Validation of a driving simulator for work zone design. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1937, 136–144. doi:10.3141/1937-19
4.
BittnerA.SimsekO.LevisonW.CampbellJ. (2002). On-road versus simulator data in driver model development driver performance model experience. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1803, 38–44. doi:10.3141/1803-06
5.
BlaauwG. J. (1982). Driving experience and task demands in simulator and instrumented car: A validation study. Human Factors, 24(4), 473–486.
6.
BlanaE. (1996). Driving simulator validation studies: A literature review. Working Paper, Institute of Transport Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
7.
BlanaE.GoliasJ. (2002). Differences between vehicle lateral displacement on the road and in a fixed-base simulator. Human Factors, 44(2), 303–313. doi:10.1518/0018720024497899
8.
ClarkH. E.PerroneJ. A.IslerR. B. (2013). An illusory size–speed bias and railway crossing collisions. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 55(0), 226–231. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2013.02.037
9.
EdquistJ.StephanK.WigglesworthL. M. (2009). A literature review of human factors safety issues at Australian level crossings. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Monash University, Accident Research Centre for Department of Transport.
10.
EspiéS.GauriatP.DurazM. (2005). Driving simulators validation: The issue of transferability of results acquired on simulator. Paper presented at the Driving Simulator Conference, Orlando, FL.
11.
GodleyS. T.TriggsT. J.FildesB. N. (2002). Driving simulator validation for speed research. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 34(5), 589–600.
12.
HoskinsA. H.El-GindyM. (2006). Technical report: Literature survey on driving simulator validation studies. International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems (IJHVS), 13(3). doi:10.1504/IJHVS.2006.010020
13.
Independent Transport Safety Regulator. (2011). Transport safety bulletin: Level crossing accidents in Australia. Sydney, Australia: Author.
14.
JamsonH. (1999). Curve negotiation in the Leeds driving simulator: A validation study. Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics, 3, 351–358.
15.
KapteinN.TheeuwesJ.Van Der HorstR. (1996). Driving simulator validity: Some considerations. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1550, 30–36. doi:10.3141/1550-05
16.
KimI.LarueG. S.FerreiraL.TavassoliA.RakotonirainyA. (2013, October2–4). Evaluating ITS interventions at railway level crossings using a driving simulator. Paper presented at the Australasian Transport Research Forum, Brisbane, Australia.
17.
KleeH.BauerC.RadwanE.Al-DeekH. (1999). Preliminary validation of driving simulator based on forward speed. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1689, 33–39.
18.
LarueG. S.FiltnessA. J.WoodJ. M.DemmelS.WatlingC. N.NaweedA.RakotonirainyA. (2018). Is it safe to cross? Identification of trains and their approach speed at level crossings. Safety Science, 103, 33–42. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2017.11.009
19.
LarueG. S.KimI.RakotonirainyA.HaworthN. L.FerreiraL. (2015). Driver’s behavioural changes with new intelligent transport system interventions at railway level crossings—A driving simulator study. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 81, 74–85. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2015.04.026
20.
LarueG. S.RakotonirainyA.HaworthN. L. (2016). A simulator evaluation of effects of assistive technologies on driver cognitive load at railway level crossings. Journal of Transportation Safety & Security, 8(Supplement 1), 56–69. doi:10.1080/ 19439962.2015.1055413
21.
LarueG. S.WullemsC. (2017). A new method for evaluating driver behaviour and interventions for passive railway level crossings with pneumatic tubes. Journal of Transportation Safety & Security. doi:10.1080/19439962.2017.1365316
22.
LarueG. S.WullemsC.NaweedA. (2016). Evaluation of a new level crossing warning concept to improve safety of level crossings in remote locations. Paper presented at the 11th World Congress on Railway Research, Milan, Italy. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/95767/
23.
LennéM. G.Rudin-BrownC. M.NavarroJ.EdquistJ.TrotterM. (2011). Driver behaviour at rail level crossings: Responses to flashing lights, traffic signals and stop signs in simulated rural driving. Applied Ergonomics, 42, 548–554.
24.
LuomaJ.PoutanenM. (2011). How drivers understand safe behaviour and perceive risks at passive railway-road level crossings. The Open Transportation Journal, 5, 88–91. doi:10.2174/1874447801105010088
25.
MoonY.ColemanF. (1999). Driver’s speed reduction behavior at highway-rail intersections. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1692(1), 94–105. doi:10.3141/1692-11
26.
MullenN.CharltonJ.DevlinA.BédardM. (2011). Simulator validity: Behaviors observed on the simulator and on the road. In FisherD. L.CairdJ.RizzoM. (Eds.), Handbook of driving simulation for engineering, medicine, and psychology (pp. 13-1–13-18). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
27.
NgO. K.SaccomannoF. F. (2010). Speed reduction profiles affecting vehicle interactions at level crossings with no trains. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2149(1), 108–114. doi:10.3141/2149-13
28.
NilssonL. (1993). Behavioural research in an advanced driving simulator-experiences of the VTI system. Paper presented at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
29.
ReimerB.D’AmbrosioL. A.CoughlinJ. F.KafrissenM. E.BiedermanJ. (2006). Using self-reported data to assess the validity of driving simulation data. Behavior Research Methods, 38(2), 314–324. doi:10.3758/bf03192783
30.
RouzikhahH.KingM.RakotonirainyA. (2010). The validity of simulators in studying driving behaviours. Paper presented at the 2010 Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference, Canberra, Australia. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/38011/
31.
Rudin-BrownC. M.LennéM. G.EdquistJ.NavarroJ. (2012). Effectiveness of traffic light vs. boom barrier controls at road–rail level crossings: A simulator study. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 45, 187–194. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2011.06.019
32.
Standards Australia. (2015). Manual of uniform traffic control devices, Part 7: Railway crossings (AS 1742.7-2015). Sydney, Australia: Author.
TeyL.-S.WallisG.CloeteS.FerreiraL. (2013). Modelling driver behaviour towards innovative warning devices at railway level crossings. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 51(0), 104–111. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2012.11.002
35.
TeyL.-S.WallisG.CloeteS.FerreiraL.ZhuS. (2012). Evaluating driver behavior toward innovative warning devices at railway level crossings using a driving simulator. Journal of Transportation Safety & Security, 5(2), 118–130. doi:10.1080/19439962.2012.731028
36.
TeyL.-S.WallisG.FerreiraL.Tavassoli HojatiA. (2011, September28–30). Using a driving simulator to assess driver compliance at railway level crossings. Paper presented at the 34th Australasian Transport Research Forum2011, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
37.
TörnrosJ. (1998). Driving behaviour in a real and a simulated road tunnel—A validation study. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 30(4), 497–503. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0001-4575(97)00099-7
38.
WardN. J.WildeG. J. S. (1996). Driver approach behaviour at an unprotected railway crossing before and after enhancement of lateral sight distances: An experimental investigation of a risk perception and behavioural compensation hypothesis. Safety Science, 22(1–3), 63–75. doi:10.1016/0925-7535(96)00006-9
39.
YehM.MulterJ. (2008). Driver behaviour at higway-railroad grade crossings: A literature review from 1990-2006. Cambridge, MA: DOT Volpe National Transportation Systems Center.
