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Civil and Environmental Engineering

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University of Massachusetts Amherst

Doctoral Dissertations

Traffic safety

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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Understanding The Safety Impacts Of Left-Turn Infrastructure On The Vulnerable Driving Population, Francis Tainter Jul 2021

Understanding The Safety Impacts Of Left-Turn Infrastructure On The Vulnerable Driving Population, Francis Tainter

Doctoral Dissertations

The severe impact of roadway fatalities has remained a significant concern for researchers in recent years. As of 2015, traffic fatalities were the leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 15 and 20 years old and a significant safety concern for drivers over the age of 65 years old (otherwise known as the “vulnerable” driving population). Intersection-related crashes have also remained prevalent in these demographic categories. Through four primary crash data evaluations, this dissertation explores the safety implications on the “vulnerable” driving population in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Through the utilization of newly developed crash data linkage …


An Evaluation Of Traffic Control Devices And Driver Distraction On Driver Behavior At Railway-Highway Grade Crossings, Radhameris A. Gomez Gabriel Jul 2017

An Evaluation Of Traffic Control Devices And Driver Distraction On Driver Behavior At Railway-Highway Grade Crossings, Radhameris A. Gomez Gabriel

Doctoral Dissertations

At-grade crossings (grade crossings) are those crossings in which any part of a roadway intersects with railroad tracks. Safety at these railroad-highway grade crossings is a major concern, with traffic control warning devices serving as the main mechanisms for improving safety. There are three factors that influence a driver’s behavior at a given crossing. First, traffic control devices, including warning devices at the railroad-highway grade crossings, provide the driver with information whose impact will depend in part on the likelihood that the driver knows whether to glance in the direction of the device based on prior experience, and in part …


Evaluating The Impacts Of Driver Behavior In The Speed Selection Process And The Related Outcomes, Cole D. Fitzpatrick Mar 2017

Evaluating The Impacts Of Driver Behavior In The Speed Selection Process And The Related Outcomes, Cole D. Fitzpatrick

Doctoral Dissertations

In the United States, traffic crashes claim the lives of 30,000 people every year and is the leading cause of death for 5-24 year olds. Driver error is the leading factor in over 90 percent of motor vehicle crashes, with the roadway and the vehicle each only accounting for about 2 percent of crashes. In the United States, nearly a third of fatal crashes are due to speeding and therefore, a critical step in improving traffic safety is research aimed to reduce speeding, such as crash data analysis, outreach campaigns, targeted enforcement, and understanding speed selection. In this dissertation, a …