Factors Affecting Drivers Behaviour at Major and Minor Road Junctions - Essay Example

Crossroads are discussed within the same design and control framework, with indications of the methods used for controlling traffic through the major/minor priority areas. The next topic to be considered is the matter of multilevel road junctions – intersections: over- and underpasses – and the influence of the additional factors such as road works, the road surface, the weather, and darkness. Many government surveys address a wide variety of geometric and other factors which can affect the speed and ease of passage through the junctions, all of which will affect the vehicle capacity.

Junction design in two specific cases, in the UK – T- junctions, and crossroads are considered and, where appropriate, the reasons for the design choice are discussed as well as the effect on traffic throughput and capacity. The third component of the narrative to be considered in this exercise is the driver and his/her response to the different stimuli which may contribute to his/her ability to drive safely. There are essentially three main categories (1) those which are permanent or semi-permanent; such as state of health, tiredness, the influence of drugs or alcohol, age, and gender (2) distractions, generally intermittent, which arise from activities within the car caused either by the driver or passengers (3) distractions which are external to the car; such as weather, other drivers and signs – whether relative to the road and junctions or advertisements.

Drugs have the capacity to impair the driver’s judgment and give rise to a false degree of self-confidence. Alcohol also impairs the driver’s ability to make coherent and capable decisions, affects reaction speeds, and results in overconfidence. Distractions – both in-car and external - can cause a severe lack of concentration. External distractions – which are quoted by insurance companies as contributing to a majority of accidents – are a frequent cause of driver lack of attention.  Too many distractions cause confusion and cognitive overload [too much clutter], while monotony and boredom [too little to engage the attention fully] contribute to cognitive underload, both of which are to be avoided.