Situations in traffic - how quickly they change

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the spatio-temporal correlations of traffic intensity on Madrid's M-30 motorway, revealing that correlation lifetimes vary throughout the day and can indicate driver attention levels in different traffic conditions.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of correlation lifetime as a new indicator of driver attention demand in traffic analysis.

Findings

Shortest correlation lifetime occurs between 6 and 8 p.m.

Correlation lifetime varies throughout the day.

Correlation lifetime can serve as an indicator of driver attention.

Abstract

Spatio-temporal correlations of intensity of traffic are analysed for one week data collected in the motorway M-30 around Madrid in January 2009. We found that the lifetime of these correlations is the shortest in the evening, between 6 and 8 p.m. This lifetime is a new indicator how much attention of drivers is demanded in given traffic conditions.