Analyzing Drivers’ Passing Decision on Two-Lane Two-Way Highways

Abstract

Passing maneuvers on rural two-lane highways have significant implications on safety, highway performance, and traffic operations. This research seeks to better understand drivers’ passing behavior by examining the interplay between drivers’ psychological traits and traffic variables influencing this decision. A driving simulator session followed by a self-report questionnaire were used to understand drivers’ decision to pass a lead vehicle or continue following it. A total of 160 licensed drivers were exposed to four randomized passing situations associated with different levels of risk. The lead vehicle was set to be a truck in all four scenarios, but its speed and the passing gap size were altered. The full-scale driving simulator captured observed driving behavior through performance metrics such as speed, lateral deviation, and travelled distance. The demographics and psychological factors including impulsiveness, mindfulness, and depression were collected through the self-report questionnaire. Results revealed that, irrespective of the passing situation and risk involved, the propensity to overtake lead vehicles is associated with lower attitude towards rule violations and speeding. With riskier overtaking situations, effects of impulsiveness and mindfulness become more significant. Concerning a driver’s current state and feeling, motorists who have been depressed lately are more likely to perform overtaking in specific situations. Such findings can be incorporated to enhance driving educational campaigns and curricula aiming to promote safe mobility and lessen the social and economic burdens of high-impact crashes.