Citation

Postans RL, Wilson WT. Ergonomics 1983; 26(4): 317-327.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1983, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00140138308963348

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In an observational study of over 2000 close-following (tailgating) incidents in the centre lane on the Bedfordshire stretch of the M1 motorway, 20 per cent involved a gap of less than 0.5 s. The proportion of lorry tailgaters was about equal to that of car tailgaters, although a disproportionately greater number of lorries were involved in "rear-end shunt" collisions, as recorded by Bedfordshire county council. Leading/tailgating vehicle dyads were significantly more frequently lorry/lorry and car/car than they were either lorry/car or car/lorry. When the state of other lanes, during tailgating, was examined, it was found that outside-lane-being-clear (unnecessary) but inside-lane-being-clear (provoked) tailgating by cars was greater than expected by chance, while simple unnecessary car tailgating was less. Provoked lorry tailgating, however, was less than expected, although greater when the inside lane was occupied (unprovoked), regardless of the state of the prohibited outside lane. When lane state and dyad composition were considered together, provoked lorry/lorry dyads were lower in frequency than expected, yet unprovoked lorry/lorry and lorry/car dyads were higher. Provoked lorry/car dyads, however, were fewer than expected. More car/car dyads than expected were found to be provoked or provoked and unnecessary, yet fewer simple unnecessary car/car incidents were observed. Automobiles; Behavior; Car following; Collisions; Crashes; Freeways; Headways; Highway safety; Passing; Rear end collisions; Tailgating; Traffic lanes; Trucks; Vehicle spacing

Language: en