Driver stopping behavior at stop-controlled intersections with sightline limitations

Abstract

Though drivers approaching a stop-sign-controlled intersection are legally required to stop at the limit line if one is present, it is well established that many drivers fail to do so. At many intersections, stopping at the limit line does not afford drivers a full view of approaching traffic, so drivers must travel past the limit line to overcome sightline obstructions including vegetation, buildings, or parked vehicles. In the present observational study, typical driver stopping/slowing behavior was studied via a camera placed at three stop-sign-controlled T-intersections. The presence of buildings at the corner of two intersections, obstructing drivers’ sightlines, explained variation in stopping behaviors across intersections. While drivers were more likely to stop at these two intersections, they reached a minimum speed further past the limit line. The findings support overcoming sight restrictions as one possible reason for the commonly observed behavior of drivers slowing or stopping beyond the limit line.