HUMAN FACTORS ISSUES IN HIGHWAY DESIGN

Research of human factors in highway engineering may be seen to include two main areas: the effect of geometric design on driver behavior, and the consideration of driver behavior variability. A critical review of pertinent research and related provisions in the design guidelines of the U.S., Canada, Germany, and Great Britain, carried out in this paper, shows that, although a variety of suggestions exist in the literature, the relevant findings have not yet been satisfactorily incorporated into highway design guidelines. On the basis of the aforementioned research findings and existing guidelines provisions, a framework is discussed which allows for the consideration of "non-design" road users, such as elderly drivers, and also incorporates checks for the overall safety of design as a feedback loop in the design process.