• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.173-184
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• 2008

Development of an accident estimation model based on accident data can be made after accident occurrences. However, the taking of historical accident data is not easy, and there have been differences between real accident data and police-reported accident data. Also, another difficult shortcoming is that historical traffic accident data better consider driver behavior or intersection characteristics. A new method needs to be developed that can predict accident occurrences for traffic safety improvement in black spots. Traffic conflict decision techniques can acquire and analyze data in time and space, requiring less data collection through investigation. However, there are shortcomings: as existing traffic conflict techniques do not operate automatically, the analyst's opinion could easily affect the study results. Also, existing methods do not consider the severity of traffic conflicts. In this study, the authors presented traffic conflict decision criteria which consider conflict severity, including opposing left turn traffic conflict and cross traffic conflict decision criteria. In order to test these criteria, the authors acquired three signalized intersection images (two intersections in Sungnam city and one intersection in Paju) and analyzed the acquired images using image processing techniques based on individual vehicle tracking technology. Within the analyzed images, level 1 conflicts occurred 343 times over three intersections. Some of these traffic conflicts resulted in level 3 conflict situations. Level 3 traffic conflicts occurred 25 times. From the study results, the authors found that traffic conflict decision techniques can be an alternative to evaluate traffic safety in black spots.

• 도로교통
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• s.104
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• pp.40-51
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• 2006

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.83-92
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• 2007

In 2004, the number of traffic crashes and deaths in Korea are 220,755 and 6,563, respectively. Korea Road Traffic Safety Authority reported that the number of traffic accidents occupies over 25% out of total accidents, and found that traffic crash probability is extremely high at intersections since intersections have various traffic conflict points. A Safety study using Traffic Conflict Technique is much more useful than a study using reported traffic accident data. Existing traffic conflict research hardly considered conflict severity occurring at intersections. So, the study developed new criteria considering conflict severity. Analytic methods precisely detecting crashing points using field surveying data, and applied an application of our new criteria. Opposing left-turn conflict criteria was devided by three groups(high severe conflict, middle severe conflict, and less severe conflict) based on conflict boundary by means of a standard vehicle length. After analyzing field surveying data(3hours), we found totally 41 opposing left-turn conflicts. 3 cases are high severe conflict, and another 10 cases are middle severe conflicts, and the other cases are less severe. Studies related in conflict severity are considerably important to evaluate intersection's detailed safety index, and existing studies(purely conflict counting does not consider severity) have a limitation to clearly determine the level of safety of intersections for an application.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 2002

For many rears, traffic accident statistics are the most direct measure of safety for a signalized intersection. However it takes more than 2 or 3 yearn to collect certain accident data for adequate sample sizes. And the accident data itself is unreliable because of the difference between accident data recorded and accident that is actually occurred. Therefore, it is rather difficult to evaluate safety for a intersection by using accident data. For these reasons, traffic conflict technique(TCT) was developed as a buick and accurate counter-measure of safety for a intersection. However, the collected conflict data is not always reliable because there is absence of clear criteria for conflict. This study developed objective and accurate conflict criteria, which is shown below based on traffic engineering theory. Frist, the rear-end conflict is regarded, when the following vehicle takes evasive maneuver against the first vehicle within a certain distance, according to car-following theory. Second, lane-change conflict is regarded when the following vehicle takes evasive maneuver against first vehicle which is changing its lane within the minimum stopping distance of the following vehicle. Third, cross and opposing-left turn conflicts are regarded when the vehicle which receives green sign takes evasive maneuver against the vehicle which lost its right-of-way crossing a intersection. As a result of correlation analysis between conflict and accident, it is verified that the suggested conflict criteria in this study ave applicable. And it is proven that estimating safety evaluation for a intersection with conflict data is possible, according to the regression analysis preformed between accident and conflict, EPDO accident and conflict. Adopting the conflict criteria suggested in this study would be both quick and accurate method for diagnosing safety and operational deficiencies and for evaluation improvements at intersections. Further research is required to refine the suggested conflict criteria to extend its application. In addition, it is necessary to develope other types of conflict criteria, not included in this study, in later study.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.63-77
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• 2023

This study applies reinforcement learning to effectively operate expressway hard shoulder running (HSR). An HSR algorithm was developed, and its effectiveness was evaluated using the VISSIM microscopic simulation program. The simulation evaluated two aspects: mobility and safety. The DQN-based HSR algorithm found speed improvement of up to 26 km/h. Compared to the current method, the difference in the number of conflicts was not significant. Considering the results, a DQN-based HSR operation has a clear effect, and it is necessary to consider adjusting the current operational criteria.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1-10
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• 2014

This research focuses on the warrants for the Two-Way Left-Turn Lanes (TWLTL). Using a microscopic traffic simulation tool, two key parameters were investigated herewith. One is a wide range of the Design Hourly Volume (DHV), reflective of recent Korean roadway volume characteristics, that is conventionally reduced from the Average Daily Traffic (ADT). The other is driveway spacing, the length of the middle-lane section where two conflicting left-turn demands often compete for space. In addition, unlike previous researches, the way and the procedure the TWLTL operation is realized in the VISSIM S/W with its add-on application such as VISVAP is clearly stated and described in detail. According to the result of simulations for 10 volume scenarios, as expected, the higher the volume level is, the more delay the left-tuner experience. The Level Of Service (LOS) for most cases was in the range of C and D based on the non-signalized intersection LOS criteria. Furthermore, the TWLTL was found operable up to the volume level of 1,116 and 1,860 vph in heavy direction (equivalent of volume level 7) for 3-lane and 5-lane facility respectively, which covers significant portion of existing two to four-lane highway volumes in Korea.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.60-75
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• 2019

Nowadays, interest in safety of pedestrians who are relatively weak when compared with vehicles increases. Also, concern for pedestrian accidents on crosswalks increases. For these reasons, scrambled crosswalks which are considered to contribute pedestrian safety by reducing conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians are actively discussed and there are also a few intersections where they are actually installed. However, scrambled crosswalks must include all-red phase for all vehicle traffic flows, which inevitably leads to increase of lost time per cycle. Therefore, evaluation in terms of efficiency should be done before installation of scrambled crosswalks. This research suggests installation criteria for scrambled crosswalks so that it is possible to judge whether installation of scrambled crosswalks is appropriate only by surveying vehicle traffic volume and pedestrian traffic volume. This research derives optimum cycle length from signal optimization models which considers both vehicle traffic volume and pedestrian traffic volume. From this optimum cycle length, this research compares total delay time before and after installation of scrambled crosswalks. From an analysis, two research results are derived. Firstly, there is critical traffic volume above which installation of scrambled crosswalks can not efficient. Secondly, appropriate areas for installation of scrambled crosswalks are different by each signal intersection or by each signal system and those difference vary. From these results, this research suggests installation criteria for scrambled crosswalks which consists of two steps. The delay time of the pedestrians may be increased after the diagonal crosswalk is installed, but it may be desirable to install in consideration of the appropriate traffic level to ensure safety.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.14-34
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to calculate the appropriate yellow-signal time for intersections, to find out the relationship between the approach speed and intersection width when calculating the time, and to secure safety by minimizing conflicts and dilemma sections in intersections that change according to the signal operation. For this purpose, 6,824 data points from 5 intersections were collected and analyzed. The main results of the study are as follows. First, the approach speed of individual vehicles in different lanes was analyzed, and the width of an intersection was defined by considering the conflict in each direction. Second, we developed a multiple regression model based on the approach speed and conflict points, which compensated for the problems of an existing formula. Third, a standard table is presented for applying the appropriate yellow-signal time according to the approach speed and intersection width based on a development formula. A method is also presented to determine the safety of the length of the dilemma according to the change in the yellow-light time by presenting a calculation table that can cross-analyze the yellow-signal time and a dilemma section using the relationship.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2009

Traffic islands were introduced for drivers and pedestrians to use the road in a safe and orderly way and were also a specified zone between traffic lanes to divide conflicting traffic flows and to provide pedestrian refuge. However, existing research and relevant standards described its purpose and effects only but not a safety standard to decide whether the traffic island warranted. This study was to introduce a parameter which had a high relationship with accidents by analyzing road and traffic conditions and traffic accident data at urban intersections. Based on the relationship between the parameter and the traffic accidents at the intersection, a pedestrian accident probability model was made by using a logit model. In addition, the study reviewed a pedestrian accident probability corresponding to traffic volume and size of the intersection during design of the intersection and then suggested the effectiveness of the traffic island in terms of traffic safety. In conclusion, when a large-scale intersection has significant traffic volumes, a high probability of traffic island-induced pedestrian accidents appears, while in the case of small volumes, the probability is low. Targeted design and operations of a traffic islands is necessary, because its introduction itself does not enhance pedestrian safety in all cases at all intersections. This study can be a useful reference for further development to set up a scheme of the traffic islands in terms of traffic safety.