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Caltrans UAS and Driver Safety: Driver Distraction in the Presence of UAS

File Language:
English


Details

  • Creators:
  • Corporate Creators:
    San Diego State University Research Foundation
  • Corporate Contributors:
    California Department of Transportation
  • Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Publication/ Report Number:
    CA24-4097
  • Resource Type:
    Tech Report
  • Geographical Coverage:
    United States
  • Edition:
    May 2023 to June 2024
  • Corporate Publisher:
    California. Department of Transportation
  • Abstract:
    In this study, a driving simulator experiment was designed to assess driver distraction caused by roadside projects involving Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) and Under-Bridge Inspection Trucks (UBITs). The primary goals were to determine which scenario caused more distraction for drivers under various conditions, such as different UAS sizes, traffic densities, and traffic speeds. The analysis revealed the key parameters that significantly influence drivers’ distraction levels, offering valuable insights into safer operational conditions for UAS and UBIT in the context of traffic safety. The following conclusions were made: 1. UBIT Scenario: In low and high traffic density conditions and at two different speeds of 25 and 60 mph, different traffic density and speed levels did not affect drivers’ distractions in a statistically significantly different manner. Drivers consistently glanced at the UBIT regardless of these conditions. 2. UAS Scenarios: The size of the UAS, did not affect drivers’ distractions in a statistically significantly manner. However, different traffic density and speed levels affected drivers’ distractions in a statistically significantly different manner. Traffic speed significantly influences drivers’ distractions when traffic density was high. There is a combined impact of traffic speed and density on driver distraction, emphasizing the need to carefully consider these factors when implementing UAS near roadways to minimize potential risks and enhance safety. 3. Comparison of UAS and UBIT: The comparison between UAS and UBIT revealed that UAS operations are safer than UBIT operations, causing substantially less driver distraction. UBIT operations were generally more distracting, with participants looking more at the UBITs. In all cases, the mean TFD was well below the two-second threshold suggested in the literature as the maximum safe distraction duration. This indicates that although UBIT is more distracting than UAS, both types of distractions can be considered within acceptable limits.
  • Format:
    PDF
  • Funding:
    65N40972302 (Task 4097)
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:d450a90317e5b62458fed37c63e8801fb81f70c3b04b7c41b7a68af339ba927ae89a7f82c9763a4d9fd6306030ac90cb4c70bdd8305e24ee5e7552d28c39f4eb
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 1.27 MB ]
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