Psychology 409a,
Geographic Information Systems, Case-Based Reasoning and System Design
By Melissa Mills
Instructions for
this activity are found at:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/g25-oral1.htm
Instructor: Dr. Leon James
Peter Rothe, editor (2002).
Driving Lessons: Exploring Systems That Make Traffic Safer. (
I. Speed Management and Traffic Safety
A. Traffic Safety literature is divided about the influence of speeding on accidents.
1. The effect on the severity of an accident is clear but the relationship between speed and the probability of accidents occurring is debatable.
a. Not even universally accepted measure for the speed variable.
2. Enforcement strategies and lowering of the speed limits have also received a mixed response.
B.
1. Stated that the reduction in average speed of just 2-5 km per hour could result in a reduction of up to 30% of injury and fatal accidents.
II. Case-Based Reasoning
A. Traffic safety programs in
1. Given praise by the Canadian Review of Safety, Speed and Speed Management
a. Particularly impressive is the comprehensive and integrated approach to speed management.
B. Case Based Reasoning tools (
1. The software retrieves cases similar to the current problem and attempts to reuse the case in a new solution.
2. Differs from other database systems in its adaptation, information retrieval and learning processes.
A. Vahl and Giskes suggest a variety of approaches for traffic calming.
1. Physical features, psychological features, visual features and legal controls.
2. Various factors that influence driver behavior with respect to speed.
a. Drivers age and gender, attitude to speed limits and knowledge of speeding risks, the number of vehicle occupants, the trip purpose and schedule, vehicle type, age and performance, prior accident and speeding history and whether a driver had recently joined a road with a lower speed limit form one with a much higher limit.
b. Correlated with each other
IV.Princess Diana’s Car Crash
A. A number of factors might be alleged to have increased the probability of the accident.
B.Factors that played a role in the crash
3. The Car: It was poorly repaired and may have had malfunctioning air bags and a malfunctioning anti-lock brake system
4. The Driver: Legally drunk, consumed 2 prescription drugs and had an abnormally high level of carbon monoxide in his blood. He also lacked experience in driving a poorly repaired vehicle (veered to the right).
5. Another Vehicle: The interaction between the vehicles, speed variation between the two, constrained physical environment in the tunnel and the thirteenth pillar.
6. The Involvement of the Paparazzi:
7. Speed: Excessive speed
8. Time of day: Night
9. Three of four occupants were not wearing seatbelts
C. Each characteristic increased the probability that an accident might occur and together they made it almost certain.
V. Integration of Case-Based Reasoning with Geographic Information Systems
A.
B. Attributes used to flag potentially dangerous locations.
C. Integration not simple.
1. Both available through web browser.
2. Interface would allow transportation planners and engineers to determine exactly where network design is contributing to speed related accidents
My Homepage:
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2006/mills/mills-home.htm
Class web page:
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm