**3.3 Changing driving styles**

Traffic behavior psychology is defined as the study of the behavior and psychological processes of different traffic participants. Its aim is to attempt to identify

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*Traffic Noise*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92892*

or modified in such a way that it [14]:

traffic points).

ior of road users.

**3.4 Quiet road surfaces**

• Surface texture.

• Acoustic absorption.

• Aerodynamic processes.

• Informs the driver of road conditions.

• Guides the driver through atypical parts.

to change their behavior in the desired direction.

types of vehicles depending on their speed [17].

Tire noise depends on the following road surface properties:

Improving road surface properties in a way that effectively reduces noise generation and amplification will result in lower noise levels. There are several types of quiet road surfaces, and their application is mainly determined by the noise

• Warns the driver of any unusual or odd features.

specific behavior patterns of users of different types of traffic with the ultimate goal of developing effective anti-accident measures [13]. There are two basic approaches that can help psychologists develop and implement measures against traffic accidents. First, traffic psychology can act as an "assistant" of science with a dominant field of traffic engineering. Road safety engineering solutions aim to optimize internal road safety. A safe road can be defined as a road that is designed, operated,

• Controls the passage of drivers through problematic points and roads ("black"

Engineering is powerful for a significant number of traffic problems. However,

Regarding the specific application of this topic to the issue of noise, changes in the traffic participants' behavior would mean a complete "openness" to newly developed traffic monitoring systems, participation in them, and raising awareness of the most vulnerable groups in traffic (visually impaired people and children). **Figure 15** shows worrying data which is a direct consequence of the current behav-

In previous paragraphs, it has already been established that the dominant noise source when driving a car at higher speeds is tire noise which is caused by friction between the wheels and the road surface. In the case of light vehicles, tire noise becomes the main noise source already at a speed of 30 km/h, while in the case of heavy vehicles at speeds higher than 60 km/h tire noise becomes the main noise source, which is shown in **Figure 16** [16]. **Figure 17** shows noise levels for different

• Has the ability to tolerate a driver's impolite or inappropriate behavior.

it would be wrong to assume that it is exclusively an engineering solution. Engineering must also consider sociopsychological solutions that include the implementation, education, and other activities in order to change the behavior of road users. In a significant number of traffic situations, psychological measures can support engineering measures in such a way that the performance of expected safety works even more effectively by informing or motivating traffic participants

### *Traffic Noise DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92892*

*Noise and Environment*

increase in traffic.

*Smart traffic management system.*

**Figure 14.**

• Enabling inbound traffic flow control.

make changes if there is a need for it.

**3.3 Changing driving styles**

• Enabling a much more efficient response to traffic accidents, especially on motorways, for example, the system can be pre-programmed for a sudden

In addition to the multiple benefits listed above, the system would also provide the perfect opportunity to install tracking equipment and collect a much more detailed traffic and travel data. Each set of traffic lights would have communication equipment that can be used to transmit (anonymously) vehicle data, either from automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) cameras or Bluetooth detectors and closed-circuit television (CCTV) transmission (if suitable). There are three components in smart traffic management: traffic lights, queue detectors (in terms of traffic congestion) embedded in the road, and cameras and a central control system. Queue detectors define the traffic flow control system on all major roads in the city. The system controls the traffic lights to maintain the free flow of traffic within the city. Every 2 seconds, the system uses a real condition model to decide whether one will have the priority of changing the phase of any of the traffic lights. A system software considered as an "asset" can be defined as, for example, obeying the bus timetable, less pollution at a particular location, or fewer vehicles waiting at a highway toll booth. If inbound traffic flow control is used, the most remote sets of traffic lights on arterial or radial roads serve as a special function and are technically known as "doors" or "control points." They regulate the flow of vehicles entering the city. One example of software with the purpose of smart traffic management is split cycle and offset optimization technique (SCOOT) which is used in hundreds of European cities for decades. It is used in Cambridge for coordinating traffic signals, where it usually favors busses. In Zurich, Braunschweig, and Potsdam, the system is used to control all traffic in the city [12]. The software is deployed with "knowledge" of the road network and is trained to respond appropriately to a wide range of scenarios (e.g., major traffic "disruptions" such as an accident on the arterial roads). It is important to note that the system also has the option to manually manage and

Traffic behavior psychology is defined as the study of the behavior and psychological processes of different traffic participants. Its aim is to attempt to identify

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specific behavior patterns of users of different types of traffic with the ultimate goal of developing effective anti-accident measures [13]. There are two basic approaches that can help psychologists develop and implement measures against traffic accidents. First, traffic psychology can act as an "assistant" of science with a dominant field of traffic engineering. Road safety engineering solutions aim to optimize internal road safety. A safe road can be defined as a road that is designed, operated, or modified in such a way that it [14]:


Engineering is powerful for a significant number of traffic problems. However, it would be wrong to assume that it is exclusively an engineering solution. Engineering must also consider sociopsychological solutions that include the implementation, education, and other activities in order to change the behavior of road users. In a significant number of traffic situations, psychological measures can support engineering measures in such a way that the performance of expected safety works even more effectively by informing or motivating traffic participants to change their behavior in the desired direction.

Regarding the specific application of this topic to the issue of noise, changes in the traffic participants' behavior would mean a complete "openness" to newly developed traffic monitoring systems, participation in them, and raising awareness of the most vulnerable groups in traffic (visually impaired people and children). **Figure 15** shows worrying data which is a direct consequence of the current behavior of road users.
