Dose the Difference in Driving Rules Matter for Security?

Abstract

Left-hand traffic (LHC) and right-hand traffic (RHC) are two different rules of road adopted by countries on account of native culture and history. This paper investigates into security of road rules from the perspective of safe distance and its explaining variable drivers' response time during changing lane and overtaking. Road traffic capacity model and safe distance model are proposed to calculate safe distance based on ellipse vehicle model given that traffic capacity, driver classification, and vehicle speed and size.58 subjects are divided into LHC and RHC group tested their eye fixation in 9 regions when overtaking by eye tracker which constitutes drivers' response time. Undertaken independent-sample T test, test results indicate RHC’ s overtaking safe distance distinct from LHC and RHC has shorter response time and longer safe distance.