Driver Eye-scanning Behavior at Intersections at Night
Laura L. Higgins, Myunghoon Ko, and Susan T. Chrylser, Texas A&M University, October 2009, 59 pp. (169111-1)
This research project analyzed drivers’ eye scanning behavior at night when approaching signalized and unsignalized intersections using the data from a head-mounted eye-tracking system during open road driving on a prescribed route. During the 1000-ft approaching the intersections, drivers shifted their glance more frequently when approaching the signalized intersections than they did at unsignalized intersections. Among different turning movements, left turns overall seemed to elicit different eye movement patterns than the right-turn or through-movements. When approaching intersections where they would turn left, the drivers glanced most often straight ahead, while glances to the right side decreased in frequency and glances to the left increased in frequency compared to the right-turn and through-movement intersections. This study used a binary logistic regression model to analyze the changes of probabilities of glances to each of four areas of the scene as a function of distance to the intersections. At some intersections, the probabilities of glances at particular areas significantly changed with the distance to the intersection. The report also discusses methodological issues with on-road studies, the coding of eye-tracker data, and problems with eye-tracking equipment.
Keywords: Driver Behavior, Eye Movement, Turning Movement
ENTIRE REPORT (Adobe Acrobat File – 1.4 MB)