The failure to properly recognise and understand driver behaviour along the shopping strings in developing countries can contribute to operational and safety problems. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and identify the appropriate solution to driver behaviour in Nigeria and also to investigate the effects of road environment on driver attitude and behaviour. This study focuses on driver behaviour on two segments on the main Ibadan-Akure arterial road in Nigeria as it passes through Ile-Ife, a city of about 300,000 inhabitants. Time lapse photography was used to record the daytime driver behaviour associated with traffic congestion at two strings of shops along this arterial road. The study showed that the observed mean travel times at the two segments were 1.48 and 1.88 seconds respectively, and mean value for all observations was 1.66 seconds. The observed mean perception-reaction time was 27.3 seconds. The study confirmed that when perception-reaction time increases, travel time for the driver who overtakes also increases. The decision to overtake is made by the individual driver, who must balance the convenience of passing against risk of encountering drivers from the opposite direction. Comparisons of perception reaction time along the shopping strings produced no differences in observed driver behaviour. (A)
Abstract