Question 1

a) Human senses which are NOT used by traffic engineers as a means of stimulus to drivers are
smell, taste and touch. Discuss the relevance of these to the driving situation (25 points)

Ans:

In any design, engineer’s major concern is the safety of the people using the designed goods and
services. In traffic engineering; smell, taste and touch might not be used to design the pavement
or geometric layout of the road. However, their consideration is very important. (Driving Coach,
2018)

i. Touch
Touch is very important because it makes car designers be conscious of the people using the
vehicles on the road. The capability to touch in the car is vital in order to operate the car safely. .
The easier you find the necessary buttons and dials on your car, the faster your judgment can be
in case of any bad circumstance on the road. For Instance, a driver needs to know where the to
touch for hazard lights to appear. This is the reason RTSA requests the vehicle operator to
develop a car sense in order to be efficient on the road. The driver’s efficiency is increased when
he/she can find headlights, blinkers, windshield wipers, volume dials, and radio stations on the
dashboard by feel rather than by looking. This helps you concentrate on the road and your
surroundings. Touch can also help you drive better is that you become familiar with the feel of a
car. Certain problems with the tires, like a leak or an alignment problem, pull your car to the
side. If you know the feel of your car and keep your hands placed properly on the wheel, you are
aware of potential problems, but also have better control of your vehicle.

ii. Smell

While smell might not be used as much as the other senses, it is still important to make sure your
car is running well. Certain mechanical problems only send a smell into the air. A few examples
of smells are:
  An overheating engine
 Leaking gas or oil
 Fumes coming into the car
 Brakes that are too hot

Recognizing these scents help you to know how to treat the problem.

Using your senses while driving might seem like a lot of things to pay attention to, but they
become second nature the more you are behind the wheel. Utilize these abilities to help you stay
safe on the road.

iii. Taste

Explain anything you can think off

b) Briefly describe how driver comfort and behavior is taken into account in setting the safe

Stopping sight distance (SSD) for a given road. (25 points)

Ans:

Perception-Reaction Times for the Elderly Driver

The perception-reaction times for elderly drivers have not been found to be significantly longer
than the average younger driver. However, the changes in physical and cognitive abilities for the
elderly could have significant impacts on their abilities to understand conditions and react safely.
Consequently, AASHTO has recommended that a design perception-reaction time of 3.0 seconds
be used (18).
(Robert Layton, 2012)

The comfort and behavior of the driver is taken into account by putting certain measures such as
the speed humps. However most motorist tends to drive faster whenever possible. Hence the
traffic police officers will come in with speed camera in order to maintain speed. Maintenance of
design speed on a highway increases the driver’s comfort and this makes the driver to easily
bring the vehicle to stop within a safe sopping distance.

In addition, the vehicle dynamics also plays a bigger role. For instance, the 2018 hilux will
more respond favorably driving at 80km/hr than the 2017 hilux. Hence the standard vehicle
percentile will be used for determination.

References
Driving Coach. (2018, march 13). Relying on Your Senses (Other than Sight) When Driving. Retrieved June
9, 2020, from Swerve Driving SchoolDRIVING SCHOOL: https://goswerve.com/blog/relying-senses-sight-
driving/

Robert Layton, K. D. (2012). Stopping Sight Distance Discussion Paper #1. Corvallis,: Oregon State
University.