Citation

Barker DJ, Yue WL. Aust. Road Res. 1991; 21(2): 1-5.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Australian Road Research Board ARRB)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the past it has been argued that the design value for driver eye heights at intersections should be higher than that at mid-block locations because drivers are more alert at the first location and consequently adopt a more arect posture. In a limited study of intersection approaches, Barker (1987) found that 91 per cent of drivers, on the approaches to intersections, had eye heights less than the design values recommended for adequate sight line provisions. Developments in video technology have enabled the authors to apply video procedures like those used by Barker in 1987 to the observation of high-speed traffic at mid-block locations. A survey of 4557 vehicles at six sites in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory indicated that there was little difference between the distribution of eye heights at mid-block locations and intersections. The results shown in this paper suggest that in order to cater for the 15th percentile driver, the current design value of 1.15 m should be lowered to 1.05 m. The results of the study also suggest that if such a value were adopted, it would be unlikely that it would have to be lowered in the future because a limiting 15th percentile value seems to have been reached.

Language: en