Speed and braking behaviour of drivers do hardly differ between daylight and night when they are to turn right over a cycle path. However, their gaze behaviour differs in daylight and night. Measurements done at VTI show that drivers tend to look at the cycle path more in daylight as well as that they look more at approaching cyclists in daylight. The head-mounted eye tracking system used in the VTI measurements worked well. Previous studies have indicated that the risk of cyclists being involved in an accident increases at night, and that the visibility at cycle crossings is poor. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a method for assessment of drivers’ gaze behaviour and to study gaze and driving behaviour at cycle crossings after turning to the right. Twenty-one drivers participated in the study. The participants were equipped with a head-mounted eye tracking system and were then instructed to drive along a predetermined test route in the town of Linköping, both in daylight and at night. Five cycle crossings after right turns were passed. At the last cycle crossing during the second and last driving session, a cyclist was approaching the crossing. After each driving session, the participants filled in a questionnaire about their experiences of cycle crossings, too. Gaze behaviour just before and at the cycle crossings was analysed. The participants tended to look towards the cycle path more in daylight than at night. When a cyclist was approaching the crossing, the participants looked at her earlier in daylight than at night. The differences in speed and braking distance between daylight and at night were small. The majority of the participants thought, to some extent, that the visibility at cycle crossings needs to be improved. The most preferred measures to be taken were intense street lighting, road signs (with or without flashing lights), reflective material on posts and reflective raised pavement markers. Using a head-mounted eye tracking system worked well for analysis of driver gaze behaviour towards well-defined objects. The system worked as well in daylight as at night. A disadvantage is that the system reduces the drivers’ abilitiy to turn their head. (Author/publisher) This report may be accessed by Internet users at http://www.vti.se/en/publications/driver-gaze-behaviour-at-cycle-crossi…
Abstract