Current Search: driving (x)
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Title
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MEDIA INFLUENCE ON RISKY DRIVING BEHAVIORS AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND EMERGING ADULTS.
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Creator
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Silberman, Kelly, Wright, Chrysalis, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Within the last few decades there has been an abundant increase in the amount of violent video games and movies shown within the media. Many of these violent video games and movies include reckless driving behaviors or certain car scenarios that engross the viewer into wishing to imitate the actions they see on the screen. With that being said, majority of these viewers are adolescents or emerging adults who are beginning to drive and are prone to replicating what they see as adequate driving...
Show moreWithin the last few decades there has been an abundant increase in the amount of violent video games and movies shown within the media. Many of these violent video games and movies include reckless driving behaviors or certain car scenarios that engross the viewer into wishing to imitate the actions they see on the screen. With that being said, majority of these viewers are adolescents or emerging adults who are beginning to drive and are prone to replicating what they see as adequate driving behaviors. The intent of this thesis is to indicate whether or not the amount of risky driving behaviors an adolescent or emerging adult is exposed to, the more likely they are to replicate these scenarios. Through the UCF Sona system participants answered questions related to risky driving behaviors, safety habits, and how often they viewed or played certain video games and movies. Overall, the results of the study indicate that participants exposed to risky driving behaviors in the media replicate these actions themselves. Further research and results should be taken into effect in order to raise awareness among adolescents and emerging adults who are at their early stages of driving.
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Date Issued
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2014
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Identifier
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CFH0004680, ucf:45282
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004680
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Title
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Analysis of taxi drivers' driving behavior based on a driving simulator experiment.
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Creator
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Wu, Jiawei, Radwan, Essam, Abdel-Aty, Mohamed, Abou-Senna, Hatem, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Due to comfort, convenience, and flexibility, taxis become more and more prevalent in China, especially in large cities. According to a survey reported by Beijing Traffic Development Research Center, there were 696 million taxi person-rides in Beijing in 2011. However, many violations and road crashes that were related to taxi drivers occurred more frequently. The survey showed that there were a total of 17,242 taxi violations happened in Beijing in only one month in 2003, which accounted for...
Show moreDue to comfort, convenience, and flexibility, taxis become more and more prevalent in China, especially in large cities. According to a survey reported by Beijing Traffic Development Research Center, there were 696 million taxi person-rides in Beijing in 2011. However, many violations and road crashes that were related to taxi drivers occurred more frequently. The survey showed that there were a total of 17,242 taxi violations happened in Beijing in only one month in 2003, which accounted for 56% of all drivers' violations. Besides, taxi drivers also had a larger accident rate than other drivers, which showed that nearly 20% of taxi drivers had accidents each year. This study mainly focuses on investigating differences in driving behavior between taxi drivers and non-professional drivers.To examine the overall characteristics of taxi drivers and non-professional drivers, this study applied a hierarchical driving behavior assessment method to evaluate driving behaviors. This method is divided into three levels, including low-risk level, medium-risk level, and high-risk level. Low-risk level means the basic vehicle control. Medium-risk level refers to the vehicle dynamic decision. High-risk level represents the driver avoidance behavior when facing a potential crash.The Beijing Jiatong University (BJTU) driving simulator was applied to test different risk level scenarios which purpose is to find out the differences between taxi drivers and non-professional drivers on driving behaviors. Nearly 60 subjects, which include taxi drivers and non-professional drivers, were recruited in this experiment. Some statistical methods were applied to analyze the data and a logistic regression model was used to perform the high-risk level.The results showed that taxi drivers have more driving experience and their driving style is more conservative in the basic vehicle control level. For the car following behavior, taxi drivers have smaller following speed and larger gap compared to other drivers. For the yellow indication judgment behavior, although taxi drivers are slower than non-professional drivers when getting into the intersection, taxi drivers are more likely to run red light. For the lane changing behavior, taxi drivers' lane changing time is longer than others and lane changing average speed of taxi drivers is lower than other drivers.Another different behavior in high-risk level is that taxi drivers are more inclined to turn the steering wheel when facing a potential crash compared to non-professional drivers. However, non-professional drivers have more abrupt deceleration behaviors if they have the same situation.According to the experiment results, taxi drivers have a smaller crash rate compared to non-professional drivers. Taxi drivers spend a large amount of time on the road so that their driving experience must exceed that of non-professional drivers, which may bring them more skills. It is also speculated that because taxi drivers spend long hours on the job they probably have developed a more relaxed attitude about congestion and they are less likely to be candidates for road rage and over aggressive driving habits.
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Date Issued
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2014
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Identifier
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CFE0005561, ucf:50277
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005561
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Title
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Analyzing action game players' performance during distracted driving.
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Creator
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Rupp, Michael, Smither, Janan, Mouloua, Mustapha, Mcconnell, Daniel, Kincaid, John, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Driving is a complex task that is highly reliant on attention. Research states that distrac-tions cause performance errors thus it is important to find ways to reduce driver distraction or assist drivers with ways to improve their cognitive resources if distraction is unavoidable. Moreover, research indicates that action video game players outperform non-players on lab-based tests of visual and cognitive abilities. However, research also exists that is contrary to these find-ings. Some...
Show moreDriving is a complex task that is highly reliant on attention. Research states that distrac-tions cause performance errors thus it is important to find ways to reduce driver distraction or assist drivers with ways to improve their cognitive resources if distraction is unavoidable. Moreover, research indicates that action video game players outperform non-players on lab-based tests of visual and cognitive abilities. However, research also exists that is contrary to these find-ings. Some researchers suggest that methodological deficiencies could be the cause of the significant findings in the literature. With such fervor of debate on the subject, the question re-mains of whether players acquire skills through playing action video games and if so can these games be used as research or training tools to enhance performance on realistic tasks. To answer this question, 45 male participants were tested using psychometric measures of spatial ability (Spatial orientation and visualization) and failures of attention (Cognitive Failures Question-naire), and then all participants drove four 10-minute drives in a driving simulator. The first drive was a practice, followed by a control drive. Participants were then distracted using a hands free phone conversation. Following that, participants completed a final control drive. Both overall video game experience and action video game experience was positively related to higher spatial ability scores. Additionally, participants with higher action game experience exhibited fewer lane deviations during driving overall, but not during the distraction condition. On the other hand, participants with higher spatial ability scores exhibited fewer lane deviations during the distraction condition, but not during the control drives. Furthermore, action video game ex-perience was not significant on the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire. Therefore, it was conclud-ed that individuals who have higher action game experience do not show improvements on any abilities of attention tested in this study. However, higher experience action video game players may perform better in simulated environments than those with less experience.
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Date Issued
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2012
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Identifier
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CFE0004434, ucf:49360
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004434
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Title
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Personality Factors, Age, and Aggressive Driving: A Validation Using a Driving Simulator.
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Creator
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Vazquez Perez, Jose, Smither, Janan, Rinalducci, Edward, Sims, Valerie, Harris, Paul, Houston, John, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Two studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between age, personality factors and aggressive driving behavior. In Study 1, 1122 volunteers completed an online survey that included questionnaires on demographic data, personality factors, and driving behavior. Personality factors were measured using the Revised Competitiveness Index, the Sensation Seeking Scale, the Big Five Inventory, and the Cook Medley Hostility Scale, whereas aggressive driving behavior was measured using the...
Show moreTwo studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between age, personality factors and aggressive driving behavior. In Study 1, 1122 volunteers completed an online survey that included questionnaires on demographic data, personality factors, and driving behavior. Personality factors were measured using the Revised Competitiveness Index, the Sensation Seeking Scale, the Big Five Inventory, and the Cook Medley Hostility Scale, whereas aggressive driving behavior was measured using the Aggressive Driving Behavior Scale (ADBS). The majority of the volunteers were female (786 versus 336), while ages ranged from 18 to 87. In Study 2, 98 volunteers from Study 1 were recruited to perform driving simulations on two scenarios. These volunteers consisted of 52 females and 46 males, with ages ranging from 18 to 83. Results from both studies produced positive correlations between aggressive driving behavior and competitiveness, sensation seeking, hostility, extraversion, and neuroticism, while negative correlations were obtained between aggressive driving behavior and age, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness. No significant correlation was obtained between gender and aggressive driving behavior. Most importantly, scores in the ADBS were positively correlated to a composite of scores measuring aggressive driving behavior in the simulator. This pattern of results not only validates the ADBS, but it also provides another mechanism to study aggressive driving behavior.
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Date Issued
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2013
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Identifier
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CFE0005067, ucf:49974
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005067
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Title
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CELL PHONE DISTRACTION: ANALYSIS OF MOTOR RESPONSE IN A SIMULATED DRIVING ENVIRONMENT.
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Creator
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Ravishankar, Anusha, Kincaid, Dr.J.Peter, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Does the use of a cell phone while driving influence the driver's ability to execute a proper turn?Is there difference between genders pertaining to motor skill while driving in a simulated driving environment? To find the answers to these questions, three groups of ten participants (5 women and 5 men)each were tested using a scripted test scenario focusing on left and right turns. The participantswere made to drive through a test scenario to get used to the driving simulator. The scenario...
Show moreDoes the use of a cell phone while driving influence the driver's ability to execute a proper turn?Is there difference between genders pertaining to motor skill while driving in a simulated driving environment? To find the answers to these questions, three groups of ten participants (5 women and 5 men)each were tested using a scripted test scenario focusing on left and right turns. The participantswere made to drive through a test scenario to get used to the driving simulator. The scenario for the experimental group was an inner-city training scenario with the presence of vehicular trafficand the main focus area was on six critical turns (3 left and 3 rights). The apparatus used for this study was the "Patrol Simulator" built by GE Driver Development. A 2 (Gender) x 3 (Cell phone condition) between subjects design was used to assess the differences in mean driving performance between gender (male and female) at 3 cell phone conditions (No Phone, Phone No Conversation, Phone with Conversation). The study verified that cell phone use while driving would adversely affects a driver's ability to perform turns, and showed that gender plays a role in this effect. However, it did confirm that gender does not play any role in a person's overall ability to drive.
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Date Issued
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2004
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Identifier
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CFE0000084, ucf:46149
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000084
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Title
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THE EFFECTS OF ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER ON FIXATIONS AND SACCADES DURING A SIMULATED DRIVING TASK.
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Creator
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Michaelis, Jessica, Smither , Janan, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Individuals who have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience adverse effects relating to driving; in addition, they experience deficits in scanning ability (Barkely et.al, 1996; Fischer et al., 2007; Munoz et al., 2003; Naja-Raja et al., 2007). The present study examined the effects of ADHD on eye tracking while driving. Ten participants consisting of both ADHD and individuals who do not have ADHD were included in this study. It was hypothesized that individuals who have...
Show moreIndividuals who have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience adverse effects relating to driving; in addition, they experience deficits in scanning ability (Barkely et.al, 1996; Fischer et al., 2007; Munoz et al., 2003; Naja-Raja et al., 2007). The present study examined the effects of ADHD on eye tracking while driving. Ten participants consisting of both ADHD and individuals who do not have ADHD were included in this study. It was hypothesized that individuals who have ADHD will make more saccadic eye movements and thus shorter fixations than individuals who do not have ADHD. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that despite the fact that individuals who have ADHD will make more saccadic eye movements than individuals without ADHD, those individuals with ADHD will commit more traffic violations including collisions compared to individuals who do not have such a diagnosis. Findings indicated that hypothesis one was not supported by the data, whereas hypothesis two was supported in that ADHD individuals had more collisions and committed more traffic violations than the Control group. Additionally, upon conducting a Chi Square test for independence, a significant difference was found in the spatial distributions of the fixations between the ADHD and Control groups. The findings of this study could help better understand the factors involved in ADHD driving and could be used to train individuals with ADHD to become more aware of their surroundings and driving habits and thus become safer drivers.
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Date Issued
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2011
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Identifier
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CFH0004069, ucf:44791
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004069
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Title
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EVALUATING THE PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE AGGRESSIVE DRIVING BEHAVIOR QUESTIONNAIRE (ADBQ).
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Creator
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Gurda, Ajla, Mouloua, Mustapha, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Over the past decade, aggressive driving behavior has become a topic of concern among the public, media, and researchers in the psychological community. Aggressive driving is a problematic pattern of social behavior that is not only a leading cause to motor vehicle accidents, but a serious threat to public safety. One instrument that has been developed to assess aggressive driving behavior is the Aggressive Driving Behavior Questionnaire (ADBQ). The ADBQ is a 20-item paper and pencil...
Show moreOver the past decade, aggressive driving behavior has become a topic of concern among the public, media, and researchers in the psychological community. Aggressive driving is a problematic pattern of social behavior that is not only a leading cause to motor vehicle accidents, but a serious threat to public safety. One instrument that has been developed to assess aggressive driving behavior is the Aggressive Driving Behavior Questionnaire (ADBQ). The ADBQ is a 20-item paper and pencil questionnaire intended to measure a driver's likelihood for engaging in aggressive driving behavior. The ADBQ was developed using a factor-analytic approach that combined five previously developed aggressive driving behavior scales (Brill, Mouloua & Shirkey, 2007). Of the 81 items of the five combined scales, nineteen latent variables were extracted and accounted for 67.4% of the explained variance for the observed responses. The final 20th item was developed by splitting one of the latent variables. A previous study, conducted at Old Dominion University (N = 230) and Michigan Technological University (N = 265), examined the ADBQ's factor structure and internal consistency, and found relatively high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .77) and the identification of six factors using a principal axis factor analysis (Brill & Mouloua, 2011). The ADBQ was also tested in a controlled laboratory environment and found significant evidence that suggest the ADBQ is a valid predictor of aggressive driving behavior in a simulated environment (Brill, Mouloua & Shirkey 2009). The purpose of the present study was to further investigate the psychometric properties of the ADBQ. Based on a sample of 285 undergraduates (170 women and 115 men) from the University of Central Florida, the study examined the internal consistency, predictive and construct validity, and factor structure of the new questionnaire. A principal axis factor analysis with promax rotation yielded four factors, or joint variations between the 20 items, that were inter-correlated with eigenvalues greater than 1. The ADBQ was also found to have high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .86). The four factors were used to form four subscales of aggressive driving behavior that included anger/aggression, speeding/minor infractions, overt expression, and judgment of other drivers. The four subscales were found to correlate with self-reported biographical and driver history data, as well as, gender differences across scales. Additional analyses were conducted using data from the present sample from the University of Central Florida (N = 285) and the data from the previous study from Old Dominion University (N = 230) and Michigan Technological University (N = 265) for a combined sample of 780 undergraduate students. The findings in this present study provided additional support for the consistency, predictive validity, and factor structure of the ADBQ instrument. The Aggressive Driving Behavior Questionnaire proves to be a valuable measure in predicting the likelihood of a person engaging in aggressive driving behavior. The implications for driving behavior assessment, training, and instrument development are also discussed.
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Date Issued
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2012
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Identifier
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CFH0004210, ucf:44955
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004210
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Title
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CREATING GEO-SPECIFIC ROAD DATABASES FROM AERIAL PHOTOS FOR DRIVING SIMULATION.
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Creator
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Guo, Dahai, Klee, Harold, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Geo-specific road database development is important to a driving simulation system and a very labor intensive process. Road databases for driving simulation need high resolution and accuracy. Even though commercial software is available on the market, a lot of manual work still has to be done when the road crosssectional profile is not uniform. This research deals with geo-specific road databases development, especially for roads with non-uniform cross sections. In this research, the United...
Show moreGeo-specific road database development is important to a driving simulation system and a very labor intensive process. Road databases for driving simulation need high resolution and accuracy. Even though commercial software is available on the market, a lot of manual work still has to be done when the road crosssectional profile is not uniform. This research deals with geo-specific road databases development, especially for roads with non-uniform cross sections. In this research, the United States Geographical Survey (USGS) road information is used with aerial photos to accurately extract road boundaries, using image segmentation and data compression techniques. Image segmentation plays an important role in extracting road boundary information. There are numerous methods developed for image segmentation. Six methods have been tried for the purpose of road image segmentation. The major problems with road segmentation are due to the large variety of road appearances and the many linear features in roads. A method that does not require a database of sample images is desired. Furthermore, this method should be able to handle the complexity of road appearances. The proposed method for road segmentation is based on the mean-shift clustering algorithm and it yields a high accuracy. In the phase of building road databases and visual databases based on road segmentation results, the Linde-Buzo-Gray (LBG) vector quantization algorithm is used to identify repeatable cross section profiles. In the phase of texture mapping, five major uniform textures are considered - pavement, white marker, yellow marker, concrete and grass. They are automatically mapped to polygons. In the chapter of results, snapshots of road/visual database are presented.
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Date Issued
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2005
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Identifier
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CFE0000591, ucf:46472
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000591
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Title
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QUALITY OF SERVICE MEASURES AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS.
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Creator
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Goyal, Kamal, Radwan, Essam, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The concept of using qualitative measures to describe the quality of service at signalized intersections provided by different designs and controls has been discussed in numerous conferences. Such measures may include driver's comfort, convenience, anxiety, and preferences. The primary objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of using the University of Central Florida's interactive driving simulator to execute several scenarios involving different unusual design and...
Show moreThe concept of using qualitative measures to describe the quality of service at signalized intersections provided by different designs and controls has been discussed in numerous conferences. Such measures may include driver's comfort, convenience, anxiety, and preferences. The primary objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of using the University of Central Florida's interactive driving simulator to execute several scenarios involving different unusual design and operation practices to measure the quality of service at a signalized intersection. This thesis describes the scenarios, the experiments conducted, the data collected, and analysis of results. Signalized intersections with 3 types of characteristic features were identified for this study. They included 1. A lane dropping on the downstream side of the intersection 2. Misalignment of traffic lanes between the approach and downstream side 3. Shared left turn and through traffic lane or separate lanes for each approaching the intersection The experimental phase consisted of a brief orientation session to get acclimated to the driving simulator followed by two driving scenarios presented to all subjects. Each scenario consisted of a drive through an urban section of the simulator's visual data base where each subject encountered a Type 1, 2 and 3 intersections. A total of 40 subjects, 25 males and 15 females were recruited for the experiment. Data logging at 60 Hz for each scenario consisted of time-stamped values of x-position and y-position of the simulator vehicle, steering, accelerator and brake inputs by the driver, and vehicle speed. After the experiment a questionnaire soliciting opinions and reactions about each intersection was administered. Simulator experiment results showed that there was a significant difference between the merge lengths for the two cases of Type 1 intersection (lane drop on the downstream side of the intersection). For Type 2 intersection (misalignment of traffic lanes between the approach and downstream side) there was a considerable difference between the average paths followed by subjects for the two cases. For Type 3 intersection (shared left and through traffic lane approaching the intersection) the simulator experiment supported the fact that people get frustrated when trapped behind a left turning vehicle in a joint left and through lane intersection and take evasive actions to cross the intersection as soon as possible.
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Date Issued
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2005
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Identifier
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CFE0000786, ucf:46574
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000786
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Title
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THE ROAD RAGE AND AGGRESSIVE DRIVING DICHOTOMY: PERSONALITY AND ATTRIBUTION FACTORS IN DRIVER AGGRESSION.
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Creator
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Schafer, Kathryn, Hancock, Peter, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Aggressive driving is not clearly and consistently defined in the literature, neither in terms of the specific behaviors chosen for inclusion nor the degree to which the emotional state of the driver is taken into account. Principally, the aim of this current research is to determine the extent to which aggressive driving and road rage overlap. This will be accomplished primarily by applying two well-supported dichotomies in aggression research: hostile/instrumental and impulsive/premeditated...
Show moreAggressive driving is not clearly and consistently defined in the literature, neither in terms of the specific behaviors chosen for inclusion nor the degree to which the emotional state of the driver is taken into account. Principally, the aim of this current research is to determine the extent to which aggressive driving and road rage overlap. This will be accomplished primarily by applying two well-supported dichotomies in aggression research: hostile/instrumental and impulsive/premeditated. Relevant personality traits will also be measured to help discern the aggressive driving- road rage overlap and to explore secondary areas of interest, such as sex and age differences in driver aggression.
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Date Issued
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2015
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Identifier
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CFH0004850, ucf:45445
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004850
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Title
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Analysis of Driving Behavior at Expressway Toll Plazas using Driving Simulator.
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Creator
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Saad, Moatz, Abdel-Aty, Mohamed, Eluru, Naveen, Lee, JaeYoung, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The objective of this study is to analyze the driving behavior at toll plazas by examining multiple scenarios using a driving simulator to study the effect of different options including different path decisions, various signs, arrow markings, traffic conditions, and extending auxiliary lanes before and after the toll plaza on the driving behavior. Also, this study focuses on investigating the effect of drivers' characteristics on the dangerous driving behavior (e.g. speed variation, sudden...
Show moreThe objective of this study is to analyze the driving behavior at toll plazas by examining multiple scenarios using a driving simulator to study the effect of different options including different path decisions, various signs, arrow markings, traffic conditions, and extending auxiliary lanes before and after the toll plaza on the driving behavior. Also, this study focuses on investigating the effect of drivers' characteristics on the dangerous driving behavior (e.g. speed variation, sudden lane change, drivers' confusion). Safety and efficiency are the fundamental goals that transportation engineering is always seeking for the design of highways. Transportation agencies have a crucial challenging task to accomplish traffic safety, particularly at the locations that have been identified as crash hotspots. In fact, toll plaza locations are one of the most critical and challenging areas that expressway agencies have to pay attention to because of the increasing traffic crashes over the past years near toll plazas.Drivers are required to make many decisions at expressway toll plazas which result in drivers' confusion, speed variation, and abrupt lane change maneuvers. These crucial decisions are mainly influenced by three reasons. First, the limited distance between toll plazas and the merging areas at the on-ramps before the toll plazas. In additional to the limited distance between toll plazas and the diverging areas after the toll plazas at the off-ramps. Second, it is also affected by the location and the configuration of signage and pavement markings. Third, drivers' decisions are affected by the different lane configurations and tolling systems that can cause drivers' confusion and stress. Nevertheless, limited studies have explored the factors that influence driving behavior and safety at toll plazas. There are three main systems of the toll plaza, the traditional mainline toll plaza (TMTP), the hybrid mainline toll plaza (HMTP), and the all-electronic toll collection (AETC). Recently, in order to improve the safety and the efficiency of the toll plazas, most of the traditional mainline toll plazas have been converted to the hybrid toll plazas or the all-electronic toll collection plazas. This study assessed driving behavior at a section, including a toll plaza on one of the main expressways in Central Florida. The toll plaza is located between a close on-ramp and a nearby off-ramp. Thus, these close distances have a significant effect on increasing driver's confusion and unexpected lane change before and after the toll plaza. Driving simulator experiments were used to study the driving behavior at, before and after the toll plaza. The details of the section and the plaza were accurately replicated in the simulator. In the driving simulator experiment, Seventy-two drivers with different age groups were participated. Subsequently, each driver performed three separate scenarios out of a total of twenty-four scenarios. Seven risk indicators were extracted from the driving simulator experiment data by using MATLAB software. These variables are average speed, standard deviation of speed, standard deviation of lane deviation, acceleration rate, standard deviation of acceleration (acceleration noise), deceleration rate, and standard deviation of deceleration (braking action variation). Moreover, various scenario variables were tested in the driving simulator including different paths, signage, pavement markings, traffic condition, and extending auxiliary lanes before and after the toll plaza. Divers' individual characteristics were collected from a questionnaire before the experiment. Also, drivers were filling a questionnaire after each scenario to check for simulator sickness or discomfort. Nine variables were extracted from the simulation questionnaire for representing individual characteristics including, age, gender, education level, annual income, crash experience, professional drivers, ETC-tag use, driving frequency, and novice international drivers. A series of mixed linear models with random effects to account for multiple observations from the same participant were developed to reveal the contributing factors that affect driving behavior at toll plazas. The results uncovered that all drivers who drove through the open road tolling (ORT) showed higher speed and lower speed variation, lane deviation, and acceleration noise than other drivers who navigate through the tollbooth. Also, the results revealed that providing adequate signage, and pavement markings are effective in reducing risky driving behavior at toll plazas. Drivers tend to drive with less lane deviation and acceleration noise before the toll plaza when installing arrow pavement markings. Adding dynamic message sign (DMS) at the on-ramp has a significant effect on reducing speed variation before the toll plaza. Likewise, removing the third overhead sign before the toll plaza has a considerable influence on reducing aggressive driving behavior before and after the toll plaza. This result may reflect drivers' desire to feel less confusion by excessive signs and markings. Third, extending auxiliary lanes with 660 feet (0.125 miles) before or after the toll plaza have an effect on increasing the average speed and reducing the lane deviation and the speed variation at and before the toll plaza. It also has an impact on increasing the acceleration noise and the braking action variation after the toll plaza. Finally, it was found that in congested conditions, participants drive with a lower speed variation and lane deviation before the toll plaza but with a higher acceleration noise after the toll plaza. On the other hand, understanding drivers' characteristics is particularly important for exploring their effect on risky driving behavior. Young drivers (18-25) and old drivers (older than 50 years) consistently showed a higher risk behavior than middle age drivers (35 to 50). Also, it was found that male drivers are riskier than female drivers at toll plazas. Drivers with high education level, drivers with high income, ETC-tag users, and drivers whose driving frequency is less than three trips per day are more cautious and tend to drive at a lower speed.
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Date Issued
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2016
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Identifier
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CFE0006492, ucf:51391
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006492
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Title
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ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY BENEFITS OF VMS AND VSL USING THE UCF DRIVING SIMULATOR.
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Creator
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Dos Santos, Cristina, Abdel-Aty, Mohamed, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF) have been working during the past few years on different strategies to improve freeway safety in real-time. An ongoing research at UCF has investigated crash patterns that occurred on a stretch of Interstate-4 located in Orlando, FL and created statistical models to predict in real-time the likelihood of a crash in terms of time and space. The models were then tested using PARAMICS micro-simulation and different strategies that would...
Show moreResearchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF) have been working during the past few years on different strategies to improve freeway safety in real-time. An ongoing research at UCF has investigated crash patterns that occurred on a stretch of Interstate-4 located in Orlando, FL and created statistical models to predict in real-time the likelihood of a crash in terms of time and space. The models were then tested using PARAMICS micro-simulation and different strategies that would reduce the risk of crashes were suggested. One of the main recommended strategies was the use of Variable Speed Limits (VSL) which intervenes by reducing the speed upstream the segment of high risk and increasing the speed downstream. The purpose of this study is to examine the recommendations reached by the micro-simulation using the UCF driving simulator. Drivers' speed behavior in response to changes in speed limits and different information messages are observed. Different scenarios that represent the recommendations from the earlier micro-simulation study and three different messages displayed using Variable Message Signs (VMS) as an added measure to advice drivers about changes in the speed limit were created. In addition, abrupt and gradual changes in speed were tested against the scenarios that maintained the speed limit constant or did include a VSL or VMS in the scenarios' design (base case). Dynamic congestion was also added to the scenarios' design to observe drivers' reactions and speed reductions once drivers approached congestion. A total of 85 subjects were recruited. Gender and age were the controlling variables for the subjects' recruitment. Each of the subjects drove 3 out of a total of 24 scenarios. In addition, a survey was conducted and involved hypothetical questions, including knowledge about VMS and VSL, and questions about their driving behavior. The survey data were useful in identifying the subjects' compliance with the speed limit and VSL/VMS acceptance. Two statistical analytical techniques were performed on the data that were collected from the simulator: ANOVA and PROC MIXED. The ANOVA test was used to investigate if the differences in speed and reaction distances between subjects were statistically significant for each sign compared to the base case. The PROC MIXED analysis was used to investigate the differences of all scenarios (24x24) based on the spot speed data collected for each driver. It was found from the analyses that drivers follow better the message displayed on VMS that informs them that the speed is changing, whether it is or not, strictly enforced as opposed to providing the reason for change or no information. Moreover, an abrupt change in speed produced immediate results; however both abrupt and gradual changes in speed produced the same reduction in speed at the target zone. It was also noticed that most drivers usually drive 5 mph above the speed limit, even though in the survey analysis the majority of them stated that they drive in compliance with the speed limit or with the flow of traffic. This means that if a modest speed reduction of 5 mph is requested they will ignore it, but if a 10 mph reduction is recommended they will reduce the speed by at least 5 mph. Consequently, it was noticed that drivers arrived at the congestion zone with a slower speed than the base speed limit due to the combination of VMS and VSL signage. By having drivers approaching congestion with a slower speed, potential rear-end crashes could be avoided. Comparing the two genders indicated that females are more likely to follow the VMS's recommendations to reduce the speed. Also females in general drive above the speed limit between 2 mph and 3 mph, while males drive above the speed limit between 5 mph and 8 mph. From the analysis of the age factor, it was concluded that drivers from the 16-19 age group drive faster and drivers from the 45 and above age group drive slower, than the drivers from the other groups. In general, all drivers reduced and/or increased their speed accordingly when a VMS and/or VSL was present in the scenario advising for this change in the speed limit. The investigations conducted for this thesis proved that the recommendations suggested previously based on the crash risk model and micro-simulation (Abdel-Aty et al., 2006) aid drivers in reducing their speed before they approach a segment of high risk and by doing so reduce the likelihood of a crash. Finally, the real-time safety benefits of VMS and VSL should be continuously evaluated in future studies.
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Date Issued
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2007
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Identifier
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CFE0001628, ucf:47167
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001628
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Title
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HYSTERESIS EFFECTS IN DRIVING.
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Creator
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Morgan, Justin, Hancock, Peter, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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This dissertation presents two studies examining the interaction between workload history and driver mental workload. The first experiment focuses on testing for the presence of a hysteresis effect in the driving task. The second experiment examines the proposition that cueing impending periods of higher task demand can reduce the impact of any such potential hysteresis effects. Thirty-two licensed drivers served as participants and all served in both studies. Using the directions provided by...
Show moreThis dissertation presents two studies examining the interaction between workload history and driver mental workload. The first experiment focuses on testing for the presence of a hysteresis effect in the driving task. The second experiment examines the proposition that cueing impending periods of higher task demand can reduce the impact of any such potential hysteresis effects. Thirty-two licensed drivers served as participants and all served in both studies. Using the directions provided by a Heads-Up-Display navigation system, participants followed a pre-set route in the simulated environment. At specified points within the drive, the navigation system would purposefully fail which required drivers to relay a ten digit alphanumeric error code to a remote operator in order to reset the system. Results indicated that this increase in task demand from the navigation system's failure leads to a significant increase in perceived mental workload as compared to pre-failure periods. This increase in driver mental workload was not significantly reduced by the time the drive ended, indicating the presence of a hysteresis effect. In the second experiment, the navigation system provided a completely reliable visual warning before failure. Results indicate that cueing had neither an effect on perceived mental workload, nor any ameliorating effect on the hysteretic type effect seen in mental workload recovery. The conclusion of these findings being that the overall safety and efficiency of the surface transportation system would likely improve by designs which accommodate the periods immediately following a reduction in stress. Whether from leaving high demand areas such as work zones or in the period immediately after using a in-car information device such as a GPS or a cell phone, these post-high workload periods are associated with increased variability in driver inputs and levels of mental workload.
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Date Issued
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2008
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Identifier
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CFE0002169, ucf:47925
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002169
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Title
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Modeling of Wrong Way Driving Entries and Developing Innovative Approaches for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Advanced Wrong Way Driving Countermeasures.
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Creator
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Kayes, Md Imrul, Al-Deek, Haitham, Eluru, Naveen, Hasan, Samiul, Uddin, Nizam, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Wrong-way driving (WWD) is a hazardous behavior on interstates, toll roads, and other high-speed limited access facilities. Since WWD crashes are rare, recent researchers have studied WWD events such as WWD 911 calls and WWD citations to understand the overall nature and trend of WWD. It is very difficult to build credible statistical models based solely on crashes due to the small sample size since these are only 3% of all crashes. Modeling of WWD non-crash events can result in more accurate...
Show moreWrong-way driving (WWD) is a hazardous behavior on interstates, toll roads, and other high-speed limited access facilities. Since WWD crashes are rare, recent researchers have studied WWD events such as WWD 911 calls and WWD citations to understand the overall nature and trend of WWD. It is very difficult to build credible statistical models based solely on crashes due to the small sample size since these are only 3% of all crashes. Modeling of WWD non-crash events can result in more accurate models. A model was developed for Florida limited access facilities to identify roadway factors and traffic characteristics of exit ramp terminals that influence WWD entries. This model indicated that interchange type, intersection angle of exit ramp terminals, presence of tolling at the entrance ramp, presence of channelizing island between the exit ramp lanes, number of lanes on the exit ramp, area (rural or urban), and traffic volumes significantly affect the likelihood of WWD entries at exit ramps. Conventional (")Wrong Way(") signs can reduce WWD incidents but can be insufficient in some cases. In areas with many WWD crash and non-crash events, transportation agencies can be proactive by considering the use of countermeasures with advanced technologies to actively warn motorists of WWD violations. To help agencies select the most effective countermeasure, two innovative evaluation of performance approaches were developed so they can be used to evaluate and compare among different advanced WWD countermeasures. These approaches consist of before-after analysis of WWD non-crash events (WWD 911 calls and citations) and turn around rates of wrong way vehicles to self-correct their WWD acts. With this research, transportation agencies can better predict WWD entries at exit ramps; identify suitable locations for possible countermeasures deployment; and improve their current design, signing, and pavement marking practices while still following national and state standards.
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Date Issued
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2019
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Identifier
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CFE0007474, ucf:52672
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007474
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Title
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Assessing Pedestrian Safety Conditions on Campus.
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Creator
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Morris, Morgan, Abdel-Aty, Mohamed, Hasan, Samiul, Wu, Yina, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Pedestrian-related crashes are a significant safety issue in the United States and cause considerable amounts of deaths and economic cost. Pedestrian safety is an issue that must be uniquely evaluated in a college campus, where pedestrian volumes are dense. The objective of this research is to identify issues at specific locations around UCF and suggest solutions for improvement. To address this problem, a survey that identifies pedestrian safety issues and locations is distributed to UCF...
Show morePedestrian-related crashes are a significant safety issue in the United States and cause considerable amounts of deaths and economic cost. Pedestrian safety is an issue that must be uniquely evaluated in a college campus, where pedestrian volumes are dense. The objective of this research is to identify issues at specific locations around UCF and suggest solutions for improvement. To address this problem, a survey that identifies pedestrian safety issues and locations is distributed to UCF students and staff, and an evaluation of drivers reactions to pedestrian to vehicle (P2V) warning systems is studied through the use of a NADS MiniSim driving simulator. The survey asks participants to identify problem intersections around campus and other issues as pedestrians or bicyclists in the UCF area. Univariate probit models were created from the survey data to identify which factors contribute to pedestrian safety issues, based off the pedestrian's POV and the driver's POV. The models indicated that the more one is exposed to traffic via walking, biking, and driving to campus contributes to less safe experiences. The models also show that higher concerns with drivers not yielding, unsafety of crossing the intersections, and the number of locations to cross, indicate less safe pedestrian experiences from the point of view of pedestrians and drivers. A promising solution for pedestrian safety is Pedestrian to Vehicle (P2V) communication. This study simulates P2V connectivity using a NADS MiniSim Driving Simulator to study the effectiveness of the warning system on drivers. According to the results, the P2V warning system significantly reduced the number of crashes in the tested pre-crash scenarios by 88%. Particularly, the P2V warning system can help decrease the driver's reaction time as well as impact velocity if the crash were to occur.
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Date Issued
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2019
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Identifier
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CFE0007839, ucf:52818
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007839
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Title
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Wrong-Way Driving: A Regional Approach To A Regional Problem.
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Creator
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Faruk, Md. Omar, Al-Deek, Haitham, Uddin, Nizam, Hasan, Samiul, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Wrong-way driving (WWD) has been problematic on United States highways for decades despite its rare occurrence. Since WWD crashes are rare, recent researchers have studied WWD non-crash events such as WWD 911 calls and WWD citations to understand the overall nature and trend of WWD. This paper demonstrates the regional nature of the WWD problem and proposes regional transportation systems management and operations (Regional TSM(&)O) solutions to combat this problem. Specifically, it was found...
Show moreWrong-way driving (WWD) has been problematic on United States highways for decades despite its rare occurrence. Since WWD crashes are rare, recent researchers have studied WWD non-crash events such as WWD 911 calls and WWD citations to understand the overall nature and trend of WWD. This paper demonstrates the regional nature of the WWD problem and proposes regional transportation systems management and operations (Regional TSM(&)O) solutions to combat this problem. Specifically, it was found that 11% of all WWD multi-data events (e.g., multiple 911 calls for the same WWD event) traveled from one county to another. Additionally, 30% of all WWD single-data and multi-data events occurred at or near interchanges between two limited access highways in counties with multiple operating agencies. This indicates that a significant proportion of WWD events could potentially travel from one limited access facility to another. Moreover, 28% of WWD events occurred on limited access facilities shared by multiple agencies. To emphasize the regional nature of WWD, this paper determined the vulnerable demographic groups in different regions of Florida by developing WWD crash and citation prediction models. The models' findings indicate that certain demographic groups (such as elderly or Hispanic) increase WWD risk. The models' results can be used to improve driver education and increase law enforcement presence in high risk WWD locations. Regional TSM(&)O solutions, such as coordination and communication among agencies and regional traffic management centers (RTMCs), law enforcement co-location with RTMCs, and strengthening statewide TSM(&)O programs to manage WWD events are also proposed.
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Date Issued
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2017
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Identifier
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CFE0006874, ucf:51736
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006874
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Title
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Analysis of pedestrian safety using micro-simulation and driving simulator.
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Creator
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Wu, Jiawei, Radwan, Essam, Abdel-Aty, Mohamed, Abou-Senna, Hatem, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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In recent years, traffic agencies have begun to place emphasis on the importance of pedestrian safety. In the United States, nearly 70,000 pedestrians were reported injured in 2015. Although the number only account for 3% of all the people injured in traffic crashes, the number of pedestrian fatalities is still around 15% of total traffic fatalities. Furthermore, the state of Florida has consistently ranked as one of the worst states in terms of pedestrian crashes, injuries and fatalities....
Show moreIn recent years, traffic agencies have begun to place emphasis on the importance of pedestrian safety. In the United States, nearly 70,000 pedestrians were reported injured in 2015. Although the number only account for 3% of all the people injured in traffic crashes, the number of pedestrian fatalities is still around 15% of total traffic fatalities. Furthermore, the state of Florida has consistently ranked as one of the worst states in terms of pedestrian crashes, injuries and fatalities. Therefore, it is befitting to focus on the pedestrian safety. This dissertation mainly focused on pedestrian safety at both midblock crossings and intersections by using micro-simulation and driving simulator. First, this study examined if the micro-simulation models (VISSIM and SSAM) could estimate pedestrian-vehicle conflicts at signalized intersections. A total of 42 video-hours were recorded at seven signalized intersections for field data collection. The observed conflicts from the field were used to calibrate VISSIM and replicate the conflicts. The calibrated and validated VISSIM model generated the pedestrian-vehicle conflicts from SSAM software using the vehicle trajectory data in VISSIM. The mean absolute percent error (MAPE) was used to determine the optimum TTC and PET thresholds for pedestrian-vehicle conflicts and linear regression analysis was used to study the correlation between the observed and simulated conflicts at the established thresholds. The results indicated the highest correlation between the simulated and observed conflicts when the TTC parameter was set at 2.7 and the PET was set at 8. Second, the driving simulator experiment was designed to assess pedestrian safety under different potential risk factors at both midblock crossings and intersections. Four potential risk factors were selected and 67 subjects participated in this experiment. In order to analyze pedestrian safety, the surrogate safety measures were examined to evaluate these pedestrian-vehicle conflicts. Third, by using the driving simulator data from the midblock crossing scenario, typical examples of drivers' deceleration rate and the distance to crosswalk were summarized, which exhibited a clear drivers' avoidance pattern during the vehicle pedestrian conflicts. This pattern was summarized into four stages, including the brake response stage, the deceleration adjustment stage, the maximum deceleration stage, and the brake release stage. In addition, the pedestrian-vehicle conflict prediction model was built to predict the minimum distance between vehicle and pedestrian.Finally, this study summarized the three different kinds of data that were to evaluate the pedestrian safety, including field data, simulation data, and driving simulator data. The process of combining of field data, simulation data, and simulator data was proposed. The process would show how the researches could evaluate the pedestrian safety by using the field observations, micro-simulation, and driving simulator.
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Date Issued
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2017
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Identifier
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CFE0006822, ucf:51770
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006822
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Title
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Evaluating Wrong-Way Driving for Florida Interstates and Toll Road Facilities: A Risk-Based Investigation, and Countermeasure Development.
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Creator
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Rogers, John, Al-Deek, Haitham, Tatari, Omer, Eluru, Naveen, Uddin, Nizam, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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The focus of this dissertation was to examine wrong-way driving (WWD) events on Florida toll roads and Interstates. The universe of WWD data contains many sources of WWD events or incidents. Most of the previous research focused only on WWD crashes without considering other data such as WWD citations and 911 calls related to WWD incidents. While WWD citations and 911 calls data is abundant, this data has been largely overlooked in other studies. This dissertation provides a novel and holistic...
Show moreThe focus of this dissertation was to examine wrong-way driving (WWD) events on Florida toll roads and Interstates. The universe of WWD data contains many sources of WWD events or incidents. Most of the previous research focused only on WWD crashes without considering other data such as WWD citations and 911 calls related to WWD incidents. While WWD citations and 911 calls data is abundant, this data has been largely overlooked in other studies. This dissertation provides a novel and holistic approach for evaluating WWD risk, which considers other risk factors such as WWD citations and 911 calls in addition to WWD crashes.WWD crashes are rare because they are less than 3% of all crashes, which makes them difficult to predict and analyze. WWD is very dangerous especially on high-speed limited access facilities. A right way driver on the mainline has very little time to take an action and avoid a wrong-way vehicle since the combined approach speed rates of both vehicles is very high. There is an average of 300 to 400 fatalities every year in the United States due to WWD crashes. There were 386 fatalities in Florida due to WWD crashes from 2007(-)2011; this ranked Florida third in terms of total WWD fatalities.There are many causes for WWD. The majority of WWD crashes occur during late night hours, and these crashes can be attributed to intoxicated drivers, confused/elderly drivers, and suicidal drivers. However, these are not all of the causes of WWD. In order to understand WWD, it is important to look beyond crash events. This research focused on two major toll road networks in Florida, which were the Central Florida Expressway (CFX) and the Florida Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). Overall, WWD crashes on the FTE system accounted for around 0.45% of all crashes, but accounted for 1.5% of fatal crashes. WWD on FTE shows that 15.2% of these crashes are usually fatal compared to only 2% of all WWD rural freeway crashes are fatal and only 0.7% of urban freeway crashes are fatal. In the citation data, not all wrong way drivers were issued citations. 15% of the WWD citations in the FTE dataset resulted in a crash. While analyzing the citation events, it has been found that they commonly do not result in crashes. However, the mere fact that a driver gets a wrong way driving citation, because he or she failed to correct his driving action before a police officer arrives at the scene, is by itself a risky behavior. The WWD Traffic Management Center (TMC) SunGuide data was explored in depth for the FTE system. 55% of the SunGuide events were never found, 11% were pulled over by Law Enforcement Officers (LEO), and 8% of the events resulted in crashes. 19% of the events were false calls. In 3% of the events, drivers corrected their WW action without an incident or crash. Understanding the relationships between non-crash WWD events (WWD citations and 911 calls) and WWD crash events is essential. The interaction between crash events and non-crash events was explored using six different models developed in this dissertation. Weighted crash risk values, which use all three types of WWD events (crashes, citations, and 911 calls), were created using the developed models from this research and were applied to rank locations in priority for enhanced WWD countermeasures. Model 1, a generalized linear model referred to as GLM 1, was developed from Florida statewide WWD data on limited access routes. GLM 1 was built using a Poisson's function. Non-crash events (citations and 911 events) were modeled to predict WWD crash events while leveraging the statewide count data that was broken down by hour of the day. The results of GLM 1 showed that Broward and Miami-Dade Counties are some of the hottest counties in Florida for WWD, and SR 821 located in these two counties is one of the hottest routes for WWD in Florida. SR 821 ranked highest in terms of WWD crash risk using a statewide developed model in this dissertation. Model 2, which was another generalized linear model (referred to as GLM 2), used an additional time variable to square the hour difference from noon. The form of GLM 2 was similar to GLM 1, but the results of GLM 1 were a little stronger than GLM 2. Another model using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) was developed and compared to GLM 2. It was found that ANN provided a stronger fit of WWD crash predictions compared to GLM 1 and GLM 2. However, when the ANN was used with other non-crash events to produce a crash prediction values outside of its original data set, the ANN model was not very useful for this application because of ANN's nature to overfit its original data set.Model 3, noted as GLM 3, used yearly non-crash data in South Florida to predict an entire route WWD crashes annually. Model 4, also noted as GLM 4, was one of the most useful models created from this body of work and used the same South Florida network as GLM 3. Using non-crash events and route characteristics such as geometric design configurations and traffic volumes at interchanges within the segment, GLM 4 predicts WWD crashes within 7- interchange route segments over a 4 year time period. GLM 4 used a method to aggregate the 7-interchange route segments, which leveraged more data points by overlapping segments to provide a larger data set of WWD crashes. The predicted WWD crashes from GLM 4 were added to the actual WWD crashes to produce a 7-interchange crash risk value. Using this WWD risk assessment method allows for the inclusion of more than just WWD crashes when evaluating and prioritizing sites for implementation of WWD countermeasures. In addition, using segments/corridors to target countermeasures is a smart approach for combating the WWD problem because in many instances, it is difficult to know where the WWD event first started or got initiated, and some of the WW drivers can travel considerable distances before they are either apprehended by law enforcement or end up crashing with the oncoming traffic. Similar to GLM 4, GLM 5 was another route segment model developed using WWD data collected for the Central Florida region's limited access network. The developed GLM 5 used 5-interchange segments to predict crash risk. Both GLM 4 and GLM 5 models were microscopic in the sense that they prioritize candidate interchanges for implementation of WWD countermeasures.In order to go beyond the minimal standards for combating WW, Florida toll road agencies are testing enhanced/flashing (")Wrong Way(") signs at exit ramps. These flashing devices add more emphasis to the existing (")Wrong Way(") signs (and or other traffic control devices) at the exit ramps. The CFX's application of the Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) for (")Wrong Way(") signs is an entirely new concept that was applied in Central Florida for the first time. The FTE's application of the MUTCD approved Blinker Sign for (")Wrong Way(") has been used in other states such as Texas. These countermeasures were examined and briefly studied during their test pilot phases. Partial results are documented in this dissertation but continuous observations and data collection at the pilot test sites and potential expansions of these sites in South and Central Florida (and other parts of the state) are needed for complete and comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of these new technologies.The FTE SunGuide TMC WWD event durations were collected for the nearest known interchange from the SunGuide reports. This information was compiled for the entire FTE system of interchanges. These SunGuide WWD event durations show the time spent by the FTE operators while actively combating and responding to various WWD events (never found events, pulled over events, and crashes). A method using the actual time spent responding to WWD, and the estimated duration of response (prior to the introduction of SunGuide) to crashes, citations, and 911 calls was developed to rank the interchanges in order of highest durations to lowest. The method developed in this dissertation showed the top percentiles in terms of durations (in minutes), and was used to cross check with the risk ranking of the WWD risk segment models GLM 4 and GLM 5. However, the SunGuide durations method is unique and robust because it weighs in individual interchanges using one common metric of WWD; i.e., total durations of response to the event at each interchange in the FTE system.Engineered countermeasures are important but these countermeasures are only effective if wrong-way drivers understand what they indicate. The Florida driver WWD survey implemented for this research showed that more than half of the respondents did not understand the meanings of the DO NOT ENTER symbol (only 44% of respondents were correct), and only 49% of respondents understood what wrong-way pavement arrows correctly mean. Over 70% of the 900 random respondents surveyed indicate their preference to RRFBs over the BlinkLink Signs. This is important to consider when expanding the implementation of countermeasures to other sites on the FTE system. The implementation of enhanced Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) countermeasure devices shows that Florida toll road agencies are working effectively towards reducing and correcting WWD events on their toll roads' networks. Reducing the risk of WWD crashes and non-crash events in general contributes significantly to the important goal of saving lives and money.
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Date Issued
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2016
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Identifier
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CFE0006544, ucf:51322
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006544
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Title
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Driving Towards Sustainability: A Case Study of the Facilitators and Inhibitors of Electrifying Drive Tourism within the United States National Park System.
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Creator
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Templeton, Amanda, Fjelstul, Jill, Fyall, Alan, Tasci, Asli, Prideaux, Bruce, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Drive tourism has proven to be a popular sub-sector of the tourism industry, given its ability to offer tourists a substantial amount of flexibility and sense of freedom in determining what destinations to explore. Few studies have examined the future of the drive tourism with consideration to changing technologies and growing awareness to the impact of carbon emissions and Green House Gasses. Research has recently begun to examine the ecological consequences of park transportation systems....
Show moreDrive tourism has proven to be a popular sub-sector of the tourism industry, given its ability to offer tourists a substantial amount of flexibility and sense of freedom in determining what destinations to explore. Few studies have examined the future of the drive tourism with consideration to changing technologies and growing awareness to the impact of carbon emissions and Green House Gasses. Research has recently begun to examine the ecological consequences of park transportation systems. Some of these problems can be seen within the United States National Park System (NPS), as various park units are experiencing problems related to infrastructure and preservation of sites. As transportation plays an integral role within the NPS, the impacts of drive tourism must be considered. The study is founded on the premise that electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations will reduce GHG emissions, thereby increasing sustainability, supporting sustainable tourism and sustainable drive tourism within the NPS. In an effort to promote sustainable transportation efforts throughout the NPS this study investigates the facilitators that enable an EV infrastructure in some parks and inhibitors for other parks that have yet to develop an EV infrastructure. A qualitative methodology was adopted for this study. Data were analyzed using NVivo with findings being presented in case study format. The study, which offers a conceptual model and offers new definitions for electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure within nature based tourism context, finds key facilitators to include: collaborative efforts through public/private partnerships, strong leadership within the NPS, and availability of funding; major inhibitors being: geography of park unit, lack cultural openness within NPS park unit, and regulatory policies. Current research has given little attention to the future sustainability of drive tourism, allowing this study to add to the academic body of knowledge. Additionally, the suggestions offered in the study are relevantly timed to what is happening within the industry.
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Date Issued
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2018
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Identifier
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CFE0007107, ucf:51967
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Format
-
Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007107
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Title
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DEINDIVIDUATION OF DRIVERS: IS EVERYONE ELSE A BAD DRIVER?.
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Creator
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MacArthur, Keith, Hancock, Peter, University of Central Florida
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Abstract / Description
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Deindividuation is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a given environment reduces the "individuality" or identifiability of a person. These environments may cause a psychological reduction in self-consciousness, potentially leading to violations of sociocultural norms (Festinger, Pepitone, & Newcomb, 1952; Singer, Brush, & Lublin, 1965). The present research sought to empirically test deindividuation theory among automobile drivers utilizing the anonymizing factor of observation....
Show moreDeindividuation is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a given environment reduces the "individuality" or identifiability of a person. These environments may cause a psychological reduction in self-consciousness, potentially leading to violations of sociocultural norms (Festinger, Pepitone, & Newcomb, 1952; Singer, Brush, & Lublin, 1965). The present research sought to empirically test deindividuation theory among automobile drivers utilizing the anonymizing factor of observation. Participants (N = 31) used a driving simulator and were either in the observed condition or an unobserved condition. Analysis of driving data did not reveal significant results, however self-report data had some interesting trends. Though limited in scope, this research begins to shed light on deindividuation of drivers and may provide a foundation for future research.
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Date Issued
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2014
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Identifier
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CFH0004644, ucf:45325
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004644
Pages