CAN TRAFFIC ENGINEERS REDUCE DRIVING STRESS

Driving in congested conditions is stressful, causes fatigue, adds to irritability, and may lead to unsafe driving behaviors. And yet as professionals we continue to acknowledge that we will never be able to build our way out of congestion. Does this mean we can do nothing about the increasing stress of driving in congestion? We are all familiar with the term "road rage", as well as aggressive driving. For purposes of this paper, the authors will confine themselves to the less malignant end of the spectrum, that of driving while stressed. They also confine themselves to the commuter who uses the freeway system (or tollways) for a significant part of their commute. They have undertaken a research project to identify elements encountered while driving on freeways during congested conditions that add to the stress experienced by drivers, and to determine whether there are low-cost solutions to some of these problems that might be tested. There are probably factors that make the commute worse for everyone and may be contributory so some aberrant behavior by those of fragile mental stability or immaturity. The authors set out to identify and prioritize these factors, with an eye to seeing whether traffic engineers could make a difference. Even if we cannot build our way out of congestion, there may be better ways to manage it and the ways people drive in it.