Interferences between driver safety perception and driving behaviour: Hybrid attitudinal survey and driving simulator study for hazard scenarios on urban expressway

Abstract

Hazardous scenarios, including sudden brake and lane changes, are major contributory factors to crashes on urban expressways. Studies have identified the environmental and traffic factors affecting crash risk on urban expressways through empirical data analysis and observational surveys. Additionally, the relationship between driver characteristics and safety perception has been measured using attitudinal surveys. However, it is rare for the interferences between driver safety perception and driving behaviour to be considered, not to mention the discrepancies between perceived and actual crash risk. In this study, the influences of driver demographics, travel habits, road environment, and traffic conditions, in addition to driver safety perception, on driving behaviour are examined using a hybrid driving simulator and attitudinal survey approach. Discrepancies between safety perception and driving performance metrics, including timely response, potential crash, maximum deceleration, and maximum lateral displacement in two hazard scenarios, are evaluated. Furthermore, the effects of individual heterogeneity on these associations are accounted using a random parameters approach. The results indicate that there are significant differences between driver safety perception and actual driving behaviour in adverse weather conditions. Additionally, factors such as driver demographics, travel habits, traffic volume, penetration rate of heavy vehicles, and speed limits all affect driving performance. Nevertheless, individual heterogeneity in the effects of driver characteristics, traffic conditions, and traffic control is significant. These finding should shed light on the design and development of personalized driver assistance systems that consider driver safety perception, road environment, and real-time traffic conditions.