Increasing traffic safety during single lane passing using wireless sensor networks

Overtaking traffic on undivided roadways is one of the major causes of accidents that results in fatalities and severe injuries. This is especially true in developing countries such as India, where roads are narrow, yet traffic is heavy and fast. The primary cause of such accidents is the inability of drivers to gauge the speed and distance of oncoming traffic as well as the impairment of vision due to lack of adequate light (at night), the presence of large vehicles in front as well as sharp turns and curves in the road. We present a novel concept that uses wireless sensor networks to assist a driver in making a safe decision on overtaking a vehicle in the presence of oncoming traffic on an undivided two-lane roadway. Our system broadcasts a request for information from oncoming vehicles. The oncoming vehicle responds back with position and speed information, allowing us to automatically make a go/no-go decision on whether to try and overtake or not, taking into account the aforementioned information as well as the capability of our own vehicle. In this concept paper, we present the solution approach and hardware prototype design as well as the test-bed used to test the prototype. We postulate that this system, when deployed, would significantly reduce driver stress and decrease the number of accidents during single lane passing on undivided two-lane roadways.