Driver Perception–Brake Response in Stopping Sight Distance Situations

Abstract

One of the most important requirements in highway design is the provision of adequate stopping sight distance at every point along the roadway. At a minimum, this sight distance should be long enough to enable a vehicle traveling at or near the design speed to stop before reaching a stationary object in its path. Stopping sight distance is the sum of two components–brake reaction distance and braking distance. Brake reaction distance is based on the vehicle’s speed and the driver’s perception–brake reaction time (PBRT). Four separate, but coordinated, driver braking performance studies measured driver perception–brake response to several different stopping sight distance situations. The results from the driver braking performance studies suggest that the mean perception–brake response time to an unexpected object scenario under controlled and open road conditions is about 1.1 s. The 95th percentile perception–brake response times for these same conditions was 2.0 s. The findings from these studies are consistent with those in the literature: that is, most drivers are capable of responding to an unexpected hazard in the roadway in 2.0 s or less. Thus, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ perception–brake response time of 2.5 s encompasses most of the driving population and is an appropriate value for highway design.