Compatible cognition amongst road users: The compatibility of driver, motorcyclist, and cyclist situation awareness

Compatibility between different road users’ situation awareness is critical to safe and efficient interactions between them. This paper describes an on-road proof of concept study conducted to explore situation awareness across three road user groups: drivers, motorcyclists, and cyclists. The aim was to test the assumption put forward by contemporary situation awareness theory that different road users interpret the same road situations differently, and to explore the extent to which these interpretations are compatible with one another. The study involved participants from each group negotiating the same pre-defined route using an instrumented car/motorcycle/bicycle. Based on verbal protocols provided en-route, a network analysis procedure was used to describe and analyse participants’ situation awareness. The analysis revealed important differences both in the content and structure of each road user groups’ situation awareness, along with evidence of incompatibilities at intersections. The implications of this are discussed along with recommendations on how to enhance compatibility between different road users.

► Different road users are likely to experience the same situations differently.
► We compared situation awareness across drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists.
► Differences were found in the content and structure of each groups’ awareness.
► Evidence of compatibility was found on arterial roads and a shopping strip.
► Evidence of incompatibility was found at intersections.