EFFECTS OF EARTHQUAKE EARLY WARNING TO EXPRESSWAY DRIVERS BASED ON DRIVING SIMULATOR EXPERIMENTS

摘要

To reduce casualties and troubles due to earthquakes, Japan Meteorological Agency introduced earthquake early warning (EEW) to general public on 1 October 2007. However, the possibility that EEW induces traffic accidents exists because EEW through car radio may not be transmitted to all the expressway drivers. Hence, the effects of EEW were investigated based on driving simulator experiments. Two kinds of experiments were performed in this study. First, single driving simulator was employed to reveal the effects of EEW on expressways. The reactions of drivers with/without warning are compared in avoiding an obstacle induced by seismic motion. Second, three synchronized driving simulators, simulating three cars running together on an expressway, were employed. When EEW was transmitted to only one car, some drivers reduced speed suddenly, and accidents occurred in two cases out of 14 tests. These experiments show the necessity of public education how to react an EEW on expressways. Turning on the hazard lights after receiving an EEW and then reducing speed gradually is suggested to avoid traffic accidents.