Evaluation of motorcycle riders’ behavior with global positioning system technology

Abstract

Countless research has been conducted during the last decades aiming to investigate the relationship between driver behavior and road features. The majority of the research is focused on passenger car speed, even though other modes of transport, for instance motorcycles, may be differently affected. In most of the cases researchers used pneumatic road tubes and video cameras to record vehicles’ driving speeds and their vertical position. However, both pose risks to data validity due to human error and the inevitable effect of the equipment to drivers’ behavior. The present investigation aims to bridge these gaps by evaluating motorcyclist’s behavior and introducing a new methodology based on Global Positioning System (GPS). More specifically, the research is focused on the impact of curvature and road access to riding performance. Within the context of approaching riders’ behavior, field measurements were conducted on two-lane rural roads with the use of instrumented with GPS equipment motorcycles. The planning of the experiments took into account various factors that potentially influence the driving behavior e.g., riding experience and presence of pillion. The conclusions drawn provide evidence that the riders’ trajectory is correlated with the radius and the length of the curves and riding behavior is affected by the presence or not of a pillion. Finally, strong indications suggest that speed offences adjacent to junctions are more typical for experienced riders compared to inexperienced ones. © 2016 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.