Driver error is cited as a contributing factor in most automobile crashes, and although estimates vary by source, driver error is cited as the principal cause of from 45% to 75% of crashes. However, the specific errors that lead to crashes, and the nature of driver error contributions to crash circumstances often cannot be specified. Rather, driver error has been used as a catchall category when machine failures have been ruled out. This report describes an effort to gather more specific information about the driver errors that lead to crashes, the relative influences that various driver errors have in causing crashes, and the degree to which current infrastructure features may contribute to driver errors. This project's objectives were to: (1) develop driver error taxonomies, (2) identify the causes of errors within taxonomic categories, (3) gather data to further develop these taxonomies, and (4) provide recommendations for improvements to traffic control devices, roadway delineations, and accident reporting forms. This report summarizes the tasks that were conducted in support of these project objectives. One highlight of the project was a site surveillance effort in which video cameras recorded over 1,200 traffic events caused by driver error. Analysis of these events included the development of infrastructure-based countermeasures to reduce the number of incidents caused by driver error. (Author/publisher)
Abstract