Exploring Bicyclists’ Visual Attention during Conflicts with Truck Traffic

Abstract

To determine how bicyclists allocate their visual attention, measurable eye-fixations of bicyclists during conflicts with a truck maneuvering at a commercial vehicle loading zone (CVLZ) were studied in a bicycling simulator environment. The potential influence of pavement markings in the conflict area (white lane markings, solid green, and dashed green), truck traffic (parked and exiting), and bicyclists’ gender (female and male) on bicyclists’ visual attention were investigated. Results of a mixed repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated that the type of truck maneuver in the CVLZ had the most significant effect on bicyclists’ visual attention. Dashed green bike lanes were more effective than other design practices to attract bicyclists’ visual attention. It was also found that men fixated more on pavement markings than women regardless of truck maneuver or of pavement marking type.