Analysis of longitudinal acceleration during rapid minibus braking on various surfaces

Vehicle acceleration can be used to control vehicle traffic, evaluate driver behaviour and analyse accident causes, among others. The purpose of the testing was to designate longitudinal acceleration in limit conditions during the test vehicle’s braking on various surfaces. The paper presents selected results of testing the motion parameters of a Ford Transit during rapid braking. The testing included measurements of the vehicle’s acceleration and speed on test sections with asphalt and concrete surfaces. The test runs were conducted on a dry, wet and icy asphalt surface. The testing included determination of the impact of the road surface’s condition on the vehicle’s longitudinal acceleration. It was demonstrated that a virtually invisible and thin ice layer covering the road surface substantially affected the acceleration during braking, thereby affecting safety. A clean and wet surface caused a negligible change in the tested vehicle’s acceleration. The obtained results can be used in accident cause analysis with consideration of the road surface’s condition.