Motorcycle conspicuity: the results of an eye tracking experiment.

This report discusses an experiment in the field of the conspicuity of motorcyclists. Motorcyclists are vulnerable road users. Compared to car drivers, motorcyclists have a relatively large risk of being involved in a crash. Police reports indicate that many of these crashes occur when the driver fails to give priority to the motorcyclist. SWOV has already performed a crash analysis and literature study on crashes involving motorcycles. The crash analysis indicated a difference between two priority situations. When a vehicle approaches an intersection from a perpendicular angle and has right of way (because he/she approaches from the right, or because he/she rides on a priority road), car drivers fail to give priority to a motorcycle as often as to a car. However, when a car makes a left turn, the car driver fails to give way to oncoming motorcyclists more often than to oncoming cars. As a sequel to the crash analysis and literature study SWOV conducted an experiment to investigate the glance behaviour and reaction time of drivers in priority situations. To this end, a film was made from inside a moving car. The car driver in the film encounters different traffic situations, including the two above priority scenarios which were staged. In the first priority situation (scenario 1) a motorcycle or car approaches the intersection from a perpendicular angle and in the second priority situation (scenario 2) an oncoming motorcycle or car approaches the intersection. In both priority situations the car driver turns left. This report focuses on the following research questions: 1. Is there a difference between the moment when drivers detect a car and decide to give priority and the moment they detect a motorcycle and decide to give priority when these vehicles approach from a perpendicular angle? 2. Is there a difference between the moment when drivers detect a car and decide to give priority and the moment they detect a motorcycle and decide to give priority when these vehicles approach from opposite directions on the same road? 3. Is there a difference between the moment when drivers detect a conspicuous motorcycle and decide to give priority and the moment drivers detect a less conspicuous motorcycle and decide to give priority when this motorcycle is approaching an intersection? 4. Is there a difference between drivers with a positive attitude towards motorcyclists and drivers with a negative attitude towards motorcyclists in relation with the moment they detect a motorcycle and decide to give priority when the motorcycle approaches an intersection?