Study on the Mechanism of Urban Road Car-Following Safety Under Adverse Weather Conditions

Car following is a common and important behavior in vehicle traffic flow, and the fluctuation of car-following behavior caused by the change in weather environment has also become one of the main causes of traffic accidents. To solve this problem, a driving scene on urban roads was built through the driving simulation platform, and the driving simulator was used to carry out the vehicle-following test. The operating behavior parameters of the test drivers, such as steering wheel angle, headway, throttle opening, standard deviation of vehicle speed, acceleration, collision times, and so on, were collected and studied. The results showed that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in indicators such as steering wheel angle, headway, acceleration, and standard deviation of speed under adverse weather conditions. The bad weather caused the line of sight to be blocked, which the driver compensated for by strengthening the trimming of the steering wheel angle, leading to the deterioration of the vehicle lateral stability. Moreover, safety studies have shown that the minimum driving interval occurred in foggy weather, while the maximum occurred in snowy weather. In addition, the standard deviation of vehicle speed and acceleration fluctuations have been reduced to ensure driving safety in adverse weather conditions. The driving experience of the drivers has a significant impact on the number of collisions, as novice drivers had a higher probability of collision.