An experimental protocol devised with rapid prototyping enables researchers to quickly iterate studies and obtain data that better meet real-world design needs. CONSIDERING THE LARGE NUMBER OF drivers who cross Intersections every day, the number who runs red lights is relatively small. However, it has been estimated that red-light violations lead to about 218,000 crashes every year in the United States. In 2001, these crashes resulted in 880 fatalities and 181,000 injuries (McGee, 2003). Some of the violations leading to these crashes are intentional, but most are caused by inadvertent or accidental violations. Researchers study crashes that are attributed to accidental violations in an effort to identify the causal factors, among which distraction is the most common. However, distraction-related accidental violations are likely to be relatively rare at any particular intersection. The rarity of these occurrences hinders the collection of data on distraction-related accidental violations. The challenge is even greater when violations are measured on a research test track because, by its nature, this setting decreases the likelihood that a violation will occur.
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