Evaluation of Reduction Effect in Traffic Accidents Based on Time Series Reliability Model

In recent years, various kinds of research related to alarm systems which prevent traffic accidents has been reported. However, there are few which evaluated the effects of reducing driver’s reaction time during unpredictable risks on decreasing traffic accidents. In this study, a methodology for estimating the collision mitigation ratio is discussed, using a collision-prevention system that supplies aroma to drivers whose cognitive attentiveness has decreased due to a prolonged driving. First, we investigated driving action at intersections during use of the system in a driving simulator. The results showed that reaction time to the crossing vehicle was significantly reduced when a driver used the aroma-supplying collision-prevention system. In addition, a system that doesn’t supply aroma could cause a decrease in driver’s attentiveness. The Time Series Reliability Model, which is a driver-model considering the driver’s time-series cognitive status, is constructed and the collision mitigation ratio is estimated. The results suggested that the collision ratio increased during the use of a system that presents only information, since the driver depended on the system information and the driver’s safety confirmation actions were inhibited. Meanwhile, the collision ratio decreased during the use of the aroma-supplying system since reaction time to the crossing vehicle was reduced by an effect on stress reduction. It can be concluded that traffic accidents at intersections are reduced by using the aroma-supplying system.