Sustainability Issue #1 January 2009

This is printed from sustainability.formas.se, last updated 12/4/2008 8:27:45 AM

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Drivers influenced by landscape

Drivers are influenced by the kind of landscape they are driving through. The environment makes them alter both their driving style and their safety margins. Driving safety is highest in an open landscape and the distance to other traffic is greatest.

"Welcome! Your task today is to drive on a road with a 90 kph speed limit. During the time you are driving, you will three times be asked two questions via the loudspeaker in the car, and after the drive you will be asked to fill in a form". The questions, which asked whether the driver felt very calm, calm, stressed or very stressed, were put in the spring of 2007 to 18 test subjects who were asked to "drive" in one of the world's most advanced driving simulators. On three large screens and in three rear view mirrors, three landscapes were displayed – one forest landscape, one mixed landscape and one open landscape.

The practical tests showed that an open landscape results in the highest speed, greatest pressure on the wheel and a position furthest from the centre line. The test drivers regarded the open landscape as the most calming, since they had good visibility and felt they could spot any danger in time. Their ideal landscape contained undulating terrain with mixed vegetation, meadows, views/panoramas and access to stopping places. Nobody wanted advertisements or art.

Researchers Hans Antonson, Selina Mårdh, Mats Wiklund and Göran Blomqvist from Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute VTI want to make an extended study with more test drivers and monitoring of e.g. eye movements and blood pressure.

 

INCLUDE

The research programme Include is an interdisciplinary programme which is terminated in the autumn of 2008. The programme studies how roads and railways impact on natural and cultural heritage assets, and to what extent decision makers give consideration to such values when planning roads and railways.

 

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