Collision Avoidance Analysis for Lane Changing and Merging

One of the riskiest maneuvers that a driver has to perform in a conventional highway system is tomerge into the traffic and/or to perform a lane changing maneuver. Lane changing/mergingcollisions are responsible for one-tenth of all crash-caused traffic delays often resulting incongestion. Traffic delays and congestion, in general, increases travel time and has a negativeeconomic impact.In this paper, we analyze the kinematics of the vehicles involved in a lane changing/mergingmaneuver, and study the conditions under which lane changing/merging crashes can be avoided.That is, given a particular lane change/merge scenario, we calculate the minimum longitudinalspacing which the vehicles involved should initially have so that no collision, of any type, takesplace during the maneuver.Simulations of a number of examples of lane changing maneuvers are used in order todemonstrate the results. These results together with appropriate sensors and equipment on boardof vehicles could be used to assess the safety of lane changing maneuvers and provide warningsor take evasive actions to avoid collision.