TUMANGAN, Ma. Estela Leonor Angela, P.

CE – 2 / 2019152008
CE122-2 / A26
What should be the ROAD USERS’ CHARACTERISTICS
a.) Drivers
• It is necessary for the driver to have the field of vision characteristic. This
characteristic explains that the this is where the perception of the driver
stands. It decides some of the traffic engineering practices like traffic signs
that are placed within the line of sight of the driver, the size and dimension
of the traffic signs and boards are adjusted to be in the line of sight of the
driver, and the driver’s attention must be taken for an event happening
within the field of vision. The estimation of speed also depends on the field
of vision. In the field of vision characteristic, visual deficits are considered
in Traffic Engineering. Such visual deficits are colorblindness, cataracts,
so on and so forth.
• It is also critical for the driver to have the Perception Reaction Time
characteristic. This is the time for the driver to detect, identify, decide, and
react on the road based on the traffic signals and signs that he sees
anytime in his line of sight. Of course, this characteristic also includes the
driver’s ability to correctly hear the environment surrounding them. This
characteristic is crucial for the speed of which the driver is going. The
driver must have high PRT for them to accelerate at high speed. If the
driver has low PRT, then it is advisable for the driver to maintain low
speed for their safety.
b.) Pedestrians
• For the pedestrians’ characteristics, I believe it is crucial for oneself to
know their own pace factor. Upon average, the average walking speed of
a male is 4.93 ft/sec while the female is 4.63 ft/sec. As for handicapped
pedestrians, it ranges from 1.97 ft/sec to 3.66 ft/sec.
• After being aware of their own walking speed and pace factor, it is also
crucial for them to know the concept of gap acceptance. This will help
them determine when they can cross the road or not. A gap acceptance is
the distance between the pedestrians and the vehicle approaching at a
time when the pedestrian is crossing the road. It is taken normally as 35
meters or more for the safety of the driver and the pedestrians as well.
Improper interaction between the driver and the pedestrians may hinder
the safety factor of this characteristic.
• The pedestrians must also have the Perception Reaction Time but
modified to match their situation. One must detect the vehicle, identify its
estimated speed, decide whether to cross the road or not in accordance
with the vehicle’s estimated speed, and accordingly react to it in time.
c.) Vehicles
• Vehicles should consider the turning speed characteristic which can be
determined by a general equation:

Turning speed is the vehicle’s ability to turn at the speed that it is going.
One must consider it’s high or low turning speed when accelerating for the
driver’s own safety.
• Vehicles should also include the braking and deceleration
characteristics for the driver and passengers’ safety. In the general
equation written below, the u is equivalent to the speed when braking is
applied, and the f is equivalent to the coefficient of friction whereas G is
equivalent to the % grade of the road.

• Also, one must consider the total stopping distance after decelerating.
• Finally, the acceleration characteristic of a vehicle. the rate of
acceleration decreases with time as the vehicle approaches the driver’s
desired speed. Whilst not all the studies agree, it seems that the results
the published literature indicates that a ‘comfortable rate’ of acceleration
would be in the region of 1.5 to 2.0 m/s2.