Driver perception of roadside configurations on two-lane rural roads: Effects on speed and lateral placement

This paper reports the results of a driving simulator study which sought to analyze the effect that: (a) three roadside configurations on a two-lane rural road lined with trees have on speed and lateral position of the driver, depending on different cross-sections as well as geometric elements; (b) the beginning of the guardrail barrier has upon the driver's behavior whenever this occurs on the left curve, right curve or tangent. A two-lane rural road lined with trees was designed and implemented in an advanced-interactive driving simulator. Two different cross-sections (with and without a shoulder), which were combined with three roadside configurations (only trees, trees and barriers, trees and barriers having undergone a treatment), were tested. Six road scenarios were then analyzed. Thirty-six drivers (33 were deemed to be valid and used for the analysis) drove in the simulator using these scenarios and the speed and lateral placement values were collected. Statistical analysis showed that the driver behavior was only affected by the cross-sections and geometric elements but not by roadside configurations. Although the presence of trees along the road represents a factor that increases the severity of run-off-road accidents, drivers do not change their behavior when barriers are not present. Concerning the effects of the beginning of the barrier, MANOVA revealed a main effect for roadside configuration on lateral position but not on speed. There was also a clear tendency of drivers to "cut" both the right curves as well as the left curves in order to minimize the speed reduction in the tangent-curve-tangent transition. These main results allow useful suggestions to be made as regards safety measures for improving road safety on two-lane rural roads lined with trees.