Psychological Responses of Motorcar Drivers to Flashing Amber Lights at Signalised T-Intersections

Abstract

The accurate and timely decision making of drivers is vital to ensuring public safety and reaching the destination in time. This paper presents a detailed comparison of the expectation of regulatory bodies in implementing flashing amber lights and explores the actual driver responses to flashing amber lights at a signalised T-intersection by taking speed variation as a proxy for their decision making. A survey was conducted at a signalised T-intersection during the operation of flashing amber lights to measure the speed variation. Time-distance and speed gun techniques were used to collect speed data of motor cars. Results reflect those drivers show only a marginal response to flashing amber lights. Therefore, the intention of regulatory bodies that vehicles maintaining lower speed at a T-intersection with flashing amber lights was not satisfactorily fulfilled. The marginal response of drivers to flashing amber lights can be a leading cause of accidents occurring in signalised T-intersections at odd (night) hours.

Keywords

• transport psychology
• driver behaviour
• driver utility
• safety
• flashing amber light signalling