Drivers' Decelerating Behaviors in Expressway Accident Segments under Different Speed Limit Schemes

Area of Science:

• Traffic Engineering
• Human Factors in Transportation
• Road Safety Analysis

Background:

• Traffic accidents on expressways frequently cause significant bottlenecks.
• Speed limits are crucial for regulating vehicle movement through accident zones.
• Understanding driver behavior is key to mitigating accident impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate driver decelerating behaviors under various speed limit schemes.
• To analyze the influence of driving experience on deceleration responses.
• To provide data for enhanced traffic safety and management strategies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a driving simulator to create traffic accident scenarios.
• Implemented four distinct speed limit schemes for testing.
• Recorded kinematic and operational data from 60 participating drivers.

Main Results:

• Speed limit schemes significantly impact driver deceleration patterns.
• Increased frequency of speed limit signs leads to smoother deceleration.
• Driving experience affects deceleration starting points and rates.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing speed limit signage can improve traffic flow post-accident.
• Driver experience is a critical factor in adapting to reduced speed zones.
• Findings support evidence-based traffic safety and behavior management.