Road design
We often misjudge a traffic situation. We take a turn too wide or too fast. We think we have sufficient time to turn right onto a main road, but then get surprised by the heavy traffic. Human errors cause almost 90% of all road crashes. Within the research programme 'human-centered road design', we aim to answer the following question: how can roads be designed in such a way that they can be used unequivocally and safely by all road users? In other words: which road design prevents serious or lethal injuries?
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The risk of human error as a central starting point
We strongly focus on self-explaining roads and forgiving roads from the perspective of a 'Safe System approach'. This approach places the road user, with all his possibilities and limitations, central in the design of a safe transport system. So, people can make mistakes, but a clear road design should be able to prevent this. If accidents still occur, the design needs to ensure that serious or lethal injuries are prevented.
Studying, in virtual and real life conditions, how road users operate
We both test a design in advance (e.g. testing road safety and circulation of road traffic) and evaluate the effectiveness of existing designs (e.g. road safety effects of speed-reducing measures). How does the road user react to (changes in) road design? Are improvements necessary? We use the driving simulator to test a road design in advance and evaluate (changes in) existing road designs by carrying out a behavioural and conflict observation (in real life conditions). In this research programme, we extensively use modern techniques such as camera-based observation, eye-tracking, (3D)-visualization, simulation and behavioural modelling to better understand the complex interaction between man, machine and environment.
Projects
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