Assisting the older driver - SWOV

Intersection design and the older driver
determine the difficulty of passing an intersection (amount and quality of
traffic‐related information, time pressure, number of decisions to make,
intersection layout), to describe the use of the intersection, and to describe
the surroundings which may influence the composition of the traffic flow.
Amount of traffic‐related information:
1) total number of coloured items that is visible at the intersection (i.e., traffic
signs and billboards); 2) total number of traffic lanes in the other
approaching streets; 3) the intersecting roads have separate carriageways
(yes/one/none); 4) cycle tracks available (“yes, separate‐lying cycle tracks”;
“yes, cycle‐lanes that are part of the carriageway and separated from the rest
by a broken line”; “no”); 5) pedestrian crossings available (yes/no); 6) cycle
crossings available (yes/no); 7) special lanes for public transport available
(yes/no).
Quality of traffic‐related information:
1) visibility of delineation (good, poor, not visible); 2) availability of fixed
lighting (yes/no); 3) availability of arrow pavement markings indicating lane
configuration (yes/no); 4) left‐turn lane available (yes/no); 5) angle at which
intersecting streets meet (90 degrees; between 70 and 90 degrees, less than 70
degrees); 6) type of traffic lights (all have background plates, some have
background plates, no background plates); 7) every lane has its own traffic
light (yes/no).
Time pressure:
1) the driver’s view of the intersection at a distance of 50 m and 10 m from
the intersection (based on a picture: good versus blocked by shrubs, trees or
buildings); 2) parked cars near the corners of the road (yes/no); 3) trees along
the road (no/some/many); 4) number of motor vehicles passing the main
road of the intersection within 15 minutes of time.
Number of decisions:
1) type of intersection (4‐way intersection, T‐junction, roundabout); 2)
implementation of right of way (either by traffic lights, stop‐controlled, yieldcontrolled,
or the ordinary right goes before left); 3) operation of the traffic
lights: protected left‐turn available (yes/no).
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