Evaluating the Impact of Deregulating Stop Signs at Railway Crossings on Vehicle Stopping Location (Second Report)

-Evaluation When Driving at Very Slow Speeds and Influence of the Vehicle Driving in front of the Leading Vehicle -

Abstract

This paper investigated the impact of deregulating the presence of stop signs prior to entering railway crossings. To this end, we evaluated the probability that a driver would stop inside a railway crossing, thereby obstructing the tracks, when a lead vehicle suddenly stops after railway crossing and a stop sign is absent. We estimated the probability based on the driving behavior data collected in a driving simulator and on the field, which were similar to the evaluation methods described in the 1st report. Thirty drivers participated in the simulator experiment and were instructed to drive at very slow speeds (10, 20km/h) and at slow and middle speeds (30, 50km/h). We also investigated the influence of following two leading vehicles on the driver's vehicle movements. The results indicated that slower driving speed led to a higher probability of stopping inside the railway crossing, and the probability was higher when the vehicle in front of the leading vehicle did not slow down when entering the railway crossing.