• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 2011

This paper presents a Driving Risk Model (DRM) based on driving speed choices using an Ordered Response Probit (ORP) model. The DRM is conceptualized based on the relation between speed deviation and the occurrence of crashes found by Solomon. The impacts of various driving risk factors are revealed by applying the DRM to evaluate the effectiveness of In-Vehicle Traffic Warning Information (IVTWI) in expressway driving. Regarding driving risk, the results show that: (1) the risk is lower among male drivers, those with more driving experience and those with less accident history, (2) the risk is higher when driving takes place on wet road surface, in the afternoon, and under conditions of low traffic volume, and (3) the risk is also higher on both downgraded and long curve sections. Additionally, the results provide evidence that provision of IVTWI can decrease the driving risk. The proposed DRM provides a solution for assessing the traffic safety impacts of countermeasures on roadways when there is a shortage of traffic accidents data.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.5 s.77
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• pp.103-111
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationships between cognitive abilities and driving characteristics of elderly drivers. Driving characteristics of elderly and younger drivers who were driving a fixed base driving simulator vehicle were examined. Participants consisted of 12 drivers over age 65 (the 'older' group) and 12 drivers between the ages of 25 and 55 (the "younger" group). As indices of cognitive ability, critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF) tests and cognitive reaction tests were given before the driving task. CFF was also tested after the simulated driving task for both groups. Cognitive reaction tests, which were composed of speed estimation tests, multiple choice reaction tests and obstacle avoidance tests, were developed by the Korean Road Traffic Safety Authority in 2003. CFF values between the two groups exhibited significant differences both before and after the task, with a p-value less than 0.01 and a t-value of -3.01 before the test and a p-value less than 0.031 and a t-value of -2.35 after the test. Older drivers' CFF values were lower than those of the younger. However, there was no difference in older or younger driver CFF values before and after the task within the same group. Except for the multiple choice reaction test, there was no difference in cognitive reaction test results between the two groups. The elderly drivers made more errors though they did not differ from the younger drivers in reaction times. At the simulated driving task the reaction time of the elderly driver was longer than that of the younger; however, the driving speed of the elderly was lower and the number of collisions greater. There was a positive correlation (r=.496) between the number of errors in the multiple choice reaction test and the number of collisions in the driving task. Therefore, it was identified that critical attributes contributing to automobile crashes involving elderly drivers included cognitive difficulty in judging and responding to complex situations.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.127-135
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• 2009

Most traffic information that drivers receive while driving are stored in their short-term memory and disappear within a few seconds. Contemporary modeling approaches using a dummy variable can't fully explain this phenomenon. As such, this study proposes to use utility functions of real-time in-vehicle traffic safety information (IVTSI), analyzing its safety impacts based on empirical data from an on-site driving experiment at signalized intersection approach with a limited visibility. For this, a driving stability evaluation model is developed based on driver's driving speed choice, applying an ordered probit model. To estimate the specified utility functions, the model simultaneously accounts for various factors, such as traffic operation, geometry, road environment, and driver's characteristics. The results show three significant facts. First, a normal density function (exponential function) is appropriate to explain the utility of IVTSI proposed under study over time. Second, the IVTSI remains in driver's short-term memory for up to nearly 22 second after provision, decreasing over time. Three, IVTSI provision appears more important than the geometry factor but less than the traffic operation factor.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.85-95
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• 2015

PURPOSES : The objective of this study is to analyze factors affecting traffic accident severity for determining countermeasures on freeway climbing lanes. METHODS : In this study, an ordered probit model, which is a widely used discrete choice model for categorizing crash severity, was employed. RESULTS : Results suggest that factors affecting traffic accident severity on climbing lanes include speed, drowsy driving, grade of uphill 3%, gender (male offender and male victim), and cloud weather. CONCLUSIONS : Several countermeasures are proposed for improving traffic safety on freeway climbing lanes based on the analysis of crash severity. More extensive analysis with a larger data set and various modeling techniques are required for generalizing the results.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.213-219
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• 2018

Mechanical components are to be produced with accurate dimensions in order to function properly in assemblies of a machine. Once designs of mechanical components are created, designers examine the designs by adopting many known experimental methods. A primary test method includes stress and strain evaluation of structural parts. In addition, fatigue test and vibration analysis are an important test method for mechanical components. Real experiments at a laboratory are established when products are manufactured. Since design changes should be done before producing the designs in factories, rapid modifications for new designs are required in production industries. FEM simulation is a proper choice for a design evaluation with speed at a detail stage in design process. This research focuses modeling and mechanical simulation of a mechanical component in order to ensure structural safety. In this paper, a universal joint, being used in driving axels of vehicles, is studied as a target component. A design model is created and tested in some ways by using commercial software of FEM. The designed component is being twisted to transmit heavy power and thus, torsional stress should be under strengths of the component's material. The next is fatigue analysis to convince fatigue cycles to be within the endurance limit of the material. Another test is a vibration analysis for rotational components. This research draws final conclusions from these test analyses and recommends whether the designed model is under safety condition in terms of mechanical structure.