Project. Naturalistic driving study: phase 2

Principle investigator: Vicky Neale, Virginia Tech, 540-231-1514, vneale@vtti.vt.edu

External contact: Catherine McGhee, VTRC

Project objective: To have a better estimation of VMT by combining with ITS data

Project Objective: To mine data accumulated in VTTI's Naturalistic Driving Study.

Project Abstract: The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's Naturalistic Driving Study, funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with support from the Virginia Department of Transportation, is collecting a wealth of information regarding driver reactions in crisis situations through the placement of cameras in vehicles, which drivers agree to for a period of one year. A video record of driver response in times of crisis - critical incidents, near-crashes, and crashes -- is providing documentation hitherto unavailable to students of traffic safety.

At present, the Naturalistic Driver Study is in the data collection phase. The proposed project would carry this study forward into the phases of data organization and data analysis. In particular video records at the time of critical incidents will be copied into a database that will assess the frequency and the specific location of these events. It is the goal of this research to account for every infrastructure-related event that occurs in the state of Virginia, helping researchers to better understand the interactions between the roadway design and driving patterns, particularly in Northern Virginia, a markedly high traffic area.

Milestones: Completion of project by June 30, 2005.

Budget
FY04
    Faculty/staff 35,000
FY05
    Faculty/staff 65,000
Project total 100,000

Relation to other research: This project flows directly from VTTI's Naturalistic Driving Study.

Technology Transfer: Direct advice to VDOT on various traffic management practices, as well as presentations at conferences and publication of journal papers.

Potential Benefits: Decline in intersection collisions throughout the nation. Improved methodology for the study of collision avoidance.

TRB Keywords: ITS, safety, collisions