Drivers’ Behavior Through a Yellow Light

Abstract

The decision to proceed through an intersection once the traffic signal has changed to yellow may increase the risk for a collision. This study sought to understand how age differences, cell phone use, and time to the stop line affected the likelihood that a driver would continue through a yellow light as observed in a driving simulator study. Four age groups were examined; novice (16 years), younger (18-25 years), middle (30-45 years) and older (50-60 years). The novice drivers were also between four to eight weeks of licensure. The likelihood that a driver would either drive through a yellow phase or stop was examined using a logistic regression model. A significant interaction effect between age groups and cell phone use was observed. More specifically, novice drivers talking on a handheld phone were significantly more likely than middle-aged drivers to proceed through the intersection. This study examines the safety consequences that may result for these novice drivers as they engage in distracting tasks.