You are driving carefree on a country road, when suddenly you come upon a tractor going 25 mph. Can you pass them and get back to your cruising speed? There are many factors to consider: Is a car coming in the opposite direction? Can you accelerate fast enough? Many of us have been there and had to make quick, complex decisions on speeds, gaps, and other situational factors. Could having a better understanding of these factors influencing the passing process improve safety? That is what a group of researchers in India determined to find out. In India, these two-lane undivided roads account for half of the national highway network, help ensure economic development in rural areas, and account for 37% of car crashes.
Researchers Abhishek Raj, Bhargava Rama Chilukuri, and Shankar C. Subramanian performed a literature review that took five elements into consideration when developing their review methodology: the vehicle (speed, size, and performance), the road (width, curvature, and condition), traffic (volume and speed), environmental conditions/time of day, and the driver (age, gender, driving experience). In their paper, “Overtaking Behavior on Two-Lane Undivided Roads: A Literature Review of Influencing Factors and Future Research Directions,” published in the Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems, the authors provide a comprehensive understanding of the overtaking process and behavior of human drivers. Their theoretical framework can help guide future research and inform infrastructure design and decision-making for traffic safety and regulations. Get the full results at https://doi.org/10.1061/JTEPBS.TEENG-8426. The abstract is below.
Abstract
Overtaking is a complicated maneuver that has implications for the operation and safety of road users on two-lane undivided roads. Understanding the factors influencing the overtaking behavior and process of human drivers becomes essential in the wake of developments in driver awareness, vehicular capabilities, and roadway design. This review classifies the factors which govern the overtaking process of drivers into five categories: vehicle, road, traffic, environment, and driver. Post classification, the effect of each factor based on empirical evidence is discussed on the overtaking behavior of drivers. Based on the analysis, a potential framework is suggested to understand the overtaking process better. Furthermore, future research directions are discussed in the context of modeling approaches, generalizability, connected and automated vehicles, and data collection efforts.
Read more food for thought on how drivers will pass on your undivided two-lane road design in the ASCE Library: https://doi.org/10.1061/JTEPBS.TEENG-8426.
