An experimental study on vehicle behavior to wheel chairs and standing-type vehicles at intersection

Many researchers have been trying to solve the traffic problems. One solution to these problems seems to reduce traffic volume in urban area. In order to reduce it, people should consider the modal shift to the public transportation and personal mobility. As new personal mobility is developed and spread into the real world traffic, we need to estimate the effect of personal mobility on vehicle drivers and systems. Also, some traffic accidents at intersections lead to fatal accidents. One of the large percentages of fatal accidents is that the vehicle which is turning right in an intersection (turning left in Japan), hits a pedestrian crossing at the crosswalk. The objective of this research is to investigate the behavior of vehicle drivers to personal mobility at the intersection. Four personal vehicles, which can be used on crosswalk, were employed as personal mobility. We measured the distances between the vehicle, which is turning left, and a personal vehicle at the intersection when a personal vehicle crosses at the crosswalk. The multiple experiments were performed in the public area. Experimental result shows that the distance drivers would like to keep to pedestrian is the minimum in comparing to the distances to other personal vehicles. From this result, it is assumed that drivers might be confused about small personal vehicles, and stop own vehicles shorter, and would like to keep longer distance than usual. This experimental data is valuable for pedestrian and personal vehicle detection system and human machine interface.