Investigating Driving Behavior in Rural Areas During Extreme Weather Conditions through Integrated Driving Simulators and Virtual Reality

This project addresses the impact of extreme weather on rural driving safety, focusing on the unique challenges posed by rural roads, such as narrow paths, limited visibility, and poor maintenance. Rural areas often experience severe weather effects, including snow and flooding, which influence driving behavior differently than urban settings. Existing field-based studies on adverse weather and driving behavior face limitations due to the unpredictable nature of weather and driver responses.  To fill this research gap, the project proposes the development of the Immersive Reality Roadscapes Virtual Simulation (IRR-ViS), which will use integrated driving simulators and virtual reality to study driver behavior during extreme weather on rural roads. The research has three objectives:   Examine how drivers adjust speed and change lanes in rural environments.  Analyze the factors influencing speed, lane changes, and time-to-collision (TTC).  Evaluate driver comprehension and responses under adverse weather conditions.  This research is expected to contribute significantly to improving traffic emergency management and optimizing resource allocation during crises, ultimately enhancing rural road and traffic safety in the face of future extreme weather events.