本书参考国内外交通工程学教材、交通工程标准和规范，系统且简要地介绍了交通运输系统的基本概念、理论及方法，涵盖了交通工程专业的重点研究内容、研究方法等导论必备知识。本书主要采用英文编写，适用于国内交通工程专业本科学生入门学习和使用，也适用于国外读者了解中国交通系统的特点。全书主要由7个章节组成：
第1章交通工程简介；第2章道路用户和车辆特性；第3章交通流特性；第4章交通控制设施；第5章交通管理；第6章交通规划；第7章智能交通系统。
每个章节由正文、练习、专业词汇和本章要点4个部分组成。正文中，交通工程专业词汇采用了斜体、加粗的形式进行强调，且在每章后面的“专业词汇”中给出中文释义。同时为便于读者阅读，正文中出现的较生僻词汇（下划线标示）也会给出中文释义。

Chapter 1 Introduction to Traffic Engineering
1.1 Traffic Engineering as a Profession
1.1.1 Safety: The Primary Objective
1.1.2 Other Objectives
1.2 Transportation Systems and their Functions
1.2.1 The Nature of Transportation Demand
1.2.2 Concepts of Mobility and Accessibility
1.2.3 Components of Traffic Systems
1.2.4 Classification of Highways
1.2.5 Transportation Modes
1.3 Elements of Traffic Engineering
1.4 Modem Problems for Traffic Engineers
Exercises
Glossary
Key Points
Chapter 2 Road User and Vehicle Characteristics
2.1 Road User Characteristics
2.1.1 Visual Characteristics of Drivers
2.1.2 Perception-Reaction Time
2.1.3 Pedestrian Characteristics
2.1.4 Impacts of Drugs and Alcohol on Road Users
2.1.5 Impacts of Aging on Road Users
2.1.6 Psychological, Personality, and Related Factors
2.2 Vehicles
2.2.1 Types of Vehicles
2.2.2 Concept of the Design Vehicle
2.2.3 Turning Characteristics of Vehicles
2.2.4 Braking Characteristics
2.2.5 Acceleration Characteristics
2.3 Total Stopping Distance and Applications
2.3.1 Safe Stopping Sight Distance
2.3.2 Decision Sight Distance
Exercises
Glossary
Key Points
Chapter 3 Traffic Stream Characteristics
3.1 Types of Facilities
3.2 Volume and Rate of Flow
3.2.1 Daily Volumes
3.2.2 Hourly Volumes
3.2.3 Subhourly Volumes and Rates of Flow
3.3 Speed and Travel Time
3.4 Density and Occupancy
3.5 Spacing and Headway: Microscopic Parameters
3.6 Relationships among Various Parameters
3.6.1 Relationship among Volume, Speed and Density
3.6.2 Greenshield's Linear Model
Exercises
Glossary
Key Points
Chapter 4 Traffic Control Devices
4.1 Traffic Markings
4.1.1 Colors and Patterns
4.1.2 Longitudinal Markings
4.1.3 Transverse Markings
4.1.4 Object Markers and Delineators
4.2 Traffic Signs
4.2.1 Regulatory Signs
4.2.2 Warning Signs
4.2.3 Mandatory Signs and Guide Signs
4.2.4 Other Traffic Signs
4.3 Traffic Signals
4.3.1 Traffic Control Signals
4.3.2 Pedestrian Signals
4.3.3 Other Traffic Signals
Exercises
Glossary
Key Points
Chapter 5 Traffic Management
5.1 Intersection Control
5.1.1 Hierarchy of Intersection Control
5.1.2 Level I Control: Basic Rules of the Road
5.1.3 Level II Control: YIELD and STOP Control
5.1.4 Level 11I Control: Traffic Control Signal
5.2 Traffic System Management
5.2.1 Objectives and Characteristics
5.2.2 Categories of the Basic Measures
Exercises
Glossary
Key Points
Chapter 6 Transportation Planning
6.1 Fundamentals of Transportation Planning
6.1.1 Goals of Transportation Planning
6.1.2 Types of Transportation Planning
6.1.3 The Transportation Planning Process
6.2 Transportation Demand Forecasting
6.2.1 Goals of Transportation Demand Forecasting
6.2.2 Four-Step Forecasting Model
Exercises
Glossary
Key Points
Chapter 7 Intelligent Transportation System
7.1 Introduction to ITS
7.1.1 Definition of ITS
7.1.2 Main Sub-Systems of ITS
7.2 Intelligent Vehicle and System
7.2.1 SAE Levels of Driving Automation
7.2.2 Collaborative Automated Driving System
Exercises
Glossary
Key Points
References