Field Study of Driver Exiting Behavior at Complex Interchanges

Author(s):  
Bryan J. Katz ◽  
Scott O. Kuznicki ◽  
Nicholas Kehoe ◽  
Jim Shurbutt

A field study explored driver behavior at complex interchanges throughout the United States in order to better understand geometric, signing, and marking characteristics that influence driving behavior and lane selection. Two types of data were collected at 13 interchanges spanning four states: videos from fixed-location cameras, and videos from unmanned aerial vehicles. Findings from the study highlight common behavior as drivers negotiate complex interchanges. For each interchange studied, video was reduced to track vehicle paths throughout the study site. Although data were captured on both through and exiting traffic, the focus of this review was on the exiting vehicles. No major safety issues were observed through the study. One common finding across all sites was that exiting traffic was found to most commonly use the EXIT ONLY lane rather than the option lane. In addition, few common behaviors identified through the video show last-minute lane changes; drivers typically entered their target lane well upstream of the interchange.

Subject Post-Obama armed UAV policy. Significance As President Barack Obama prepares to leave office in January 2017, his administration has called for the United States to lead development of a set of international norms to govern the use of armed UAVs ('unmanned aerial vehicles' or 'drones'). The international proliferation and military use of armed UAVs by nations outside the circle of trusted US allies have highlighted the urgency of formulating clearly articulated international rules to govern an otherwise vaguely defined arena of international behaviour dominated by US precedent. Impacts Congressional aversion to supporting ground interventions abroad will enable the next president further to delay UAV policy reform. A wide range of countries frustrated with restrictions from Washington may turn to China as a key supplier of armed UAVs. Failed US efforts to reform the covert drone programme may complicate intelligence-sharing with European allies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Breanne Schneider

The United States’ increasing dependence on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), more commonly referred to as drones, to carry out targeted killings has captured the attention of several countries across the globe seeking to amplify their military capabilities. While most of the current literature focuses on the strategic value of UAVs as a tool for combating terrorism, scholars have largely overlooked the use of drones as a key to maintaining security between states. This project, in contrast, investigates the implications of drones for security dilemmas between countries. It examines the case of India due to its long-standing rivalry with Pakistan, its border dispute with China, and the prevalence of terrorism in the region. It anticipates that India’s leaders view the possession of drones by their rivals as a threat to their own national security, and thus aim to acquire similar technology to maintain the power balance. A content analysis of newspaper articles related to India’s drone acquisition indicates that drones are perceived by India’s leaders to be almost equally useful in fighting terrorism and balancing a state rival, which demonstrates that, contrary to popular belief, drones do carry significance in interstate conflict.


Subject Rules for consumer and commercial drones. Significance Regulations designed to integrate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into the wider airspace have led to conflict between consumer enthusiasts and commercial UAV operators, particularly in the largest market, the United States. At the centre of the argument is whether hobbyist model aircraft and consumer drones should be exempt from carrying electronic identification. Impacts Commercial UAV operators will need to account for how interference from consumer drones may affect their business operations. Electronic identification rules would increase the manufacturing and regulatory compliance costs of hobbyist drones. Consumer appetite for drone deliveries will hinge on their safety and security.


Author(s):  
Mostafa Namian ◽  
Mohammad Khalid ◽  
George Wang ◽  
Yelda Turkan

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have gained their prevalent recognition in construction because of their exceptional advantages. Despite the increasing use of UAVs in the industry and their remarkable benefits, there are serious potential safety risks associated that have been overlooked. Construction is one of the most hazardous industries in the United States. In addition to the ordinary hazards normally present in dynamic construction workplaces, UAVs can expose workers to a wider range of never-before-seen safety risks that must be recognized and controlled. The industry is not equipped with safety measures to prevent potential accidents, because of scarce research on drone-associated hazards and risks. The aim of this research was to (1) identify the UAV-associated hazards in construction that may expose personnel and property to potential harms, and (2) study the relative impact of each hazard and the associated safety risks. In Phase I, the researchers conducted an extensive literature review and consulted with a construction UAV expert. In Phase II, the researchers obtained data from 54 construction experts validating and evaluating the identified hazards and risks. The results revealed that adopting UAVs can expose construction projects to a variety of hazards that the industry is not familiar with. “Collision with properties,”“collision with humans,” and “distraction” were identified as the top three safety risks. Moreover, the study introduces effective strategies, such as having qualified crew members, proper drone model selection, and drone maintenance, to mitigate the safety risks. Finally, a post-hoc case study was investigated and presented in this article.


Author(s):  
Alexandra Gerbasi ◽  
Dominika Latusek

This chapter presents results from the qualitative field study conducted in a Silicon Valley-based American-Polish start-up joint venture. It investigates the issues of collaboration within one firm that is made up of individuals from two countries that differ dramatically in generalized trust: Poland and the United States. The authors explore differences between thick, knowledge-based forms of trust and thin, more social capital-oriented forms of trust, and they discuss how these affect collaboration between representatives of both cultures. Finally, the authors address how these differences in trust can both benefit an organization and also cause it difficulties in managing its employees.


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