The comments are made from the point of view of a psychologist. The author's main concern is the analysis of underlying mechanisms which may explain driver behaviour in specific driving situations. How is variance explained by proposed model ? Can the model be enriched by variables such as speed, headway acceptance or visibility at intersections ? In a French study, the aims were 1) to analyse driver strategies when passing through intersections and to examine extent of linkage between these strategies and mental representations of road situations, 2) to examine the role of road infrastructure characteristics and traffic situation in choosing the strategy, 3) to assess the role of driving experience in determining the mechanism underlying driving activity. Observations were made from a specially equipped moving vehicle and subjects were interviewed after the drive. Results revealed differences in speed adjustment according to junction characteristics. The study highlights the plurality of mechanisms which influence drivers' speed regulation. It is considered that a systematic study of behaviour in real driving situations is an essential approach in analysing phenomena associated with certain driving situations. For the paper by U. Brüde, see C 6528.
Samenvatting