In-Vehicle Train Warnings (ITW): The Effect of Reliability and Failure Type on Driver Perception Response Time and Trust

Abstract

Driver inattention to the approach of a train has been implicated as one of the contributors to railroad crossing accidents. As a potential intelligent transportation systems (ITS) countermeasure, auditory and visual in-vehicle train warnings (ITW) were tested using video simulations of approaches to railroad crossings. Thirty-six younger drivers were tested to determine the effects of ITW reliability (83% and 50%) and failure type (False Alarm 1: the train is not present; False Alarm 2: a crossing is not encountered; and Missed Signal: the arrival of a train is not indicated by the ITW) on perception response time (PRT) and system trust. Drivers initiated braking later after False Alarms 1 and 2 occurred and earlier after experiencing Missed Signals. Perceptions of system trust were lessened by decreases in reliability, but did not discriminate between different failure types. These results are elaborated and generalized to ITW design.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Åberg

(1988). Driver behavior at flashing-light, rail-highway crossings. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 20(1), 59–65.

Chugh

J. S.

(1999). The effect of in-vehicle railway warning reliability on trust and performance. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary.

Federal Railway Administration (1996). Highway-rail crossing accident/incident and inventory bulletin: Calendar year 1995 (Rep. No. 18). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Transportation.

Hochberg

Brooks

(1978). Film cutting and visual momentum. In Senders

J. W.

Fisher

D. F.

Monty

R. A.

, Eye movements and the higher psychological functions (pp. 293–313). Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum.

Klein

Morgan

Weiner

(1994). Rail-highway crossing safety fatal crash and demographic descriptors (Pub. No. DOT HS 808 196). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Lerner

N. D.

Ratte

Walker

(1990). Driver behavior at rail-highway crossings (Rep. No. FHWA-SA-90-008). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.

Kantowitz

B. H.

Hanowski

R. J.

Kantowitz

S. C.

(1997). Driver acceptance of unreliable traffic information in familiar and unfamiliar settings. Human Factors, 39(2), 164–176.

Lee

Moray , $ (1994). Trust, self-confidence, and operators' adaptation to automation. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 40, 153–184.

Massie

D. L.

Campbell

K. L.

Williams

A. F.

(1995). Traffic accident involvement rates by driver age and gender. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 27(1), 73–87.

10.

Olson

P. L.

(1996). Forensic aspects of driver perception and response. Lawyers and Judges Publishing.

11.

Parasuramen

Hancock

P. A.

Olofinboba

(1997). Alarm effectiveness in driver-centered collision warning systems. Ergonomics, 40(3), 390–399.

12.

Transportation Safety Board (1997). Table 2: Fatalities/injuries by type of occurrence and person type 1987–1996. [On-line]. Available: http://bst-tsb.gc.ca/stats/e1996rail7.html

13.

Tardiff

Parviainen

Ede

W. J. M.

(1996). Application of intelligent transportation systems (ITS)/advanced train control systems (ATCS) technologies at highway-rail level crossings (Res. Rep.). Ottawa, ON: Transport Association of Canada.