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Supporting driver performance in closely spaced tunnel-interchange structure: Traffic control devices and effects on
Yunjie Ju1, Feng Chen1, Jia Li2
1Key Laboratory of Road & Traffic Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Tongji University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
Traffic Injury Prevention
|October 2, 2024
Summary
Drivers experience safety issues on complex expressway sections with tunnels and interchanges. Improving traffic control devices, like removing certain signs and adding exit distance markers, can significantly enhance driver safety and performance.
Area of Science:
- Traffic Engineering
- Road Safety
- Human Factors in Transportation
Background:
- Expressways in mountainous regions often feature closely spaced tunnel-interchange structures due to topographical and environmental constraints.
- Unfavorable road geometry and rapid cross-section transitions in these areas pose significant safety concerns for drivers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate driver safety performance at closely spaced tunnel-interchange sections.
- To identify how traffic control device design can mitigate safety risks in these complex environments.
Main Methods:
- A fixed-base driving simulator study involving 39 participants was conducted, replicating a specific freeway section.
- Linear mixed effects models (LMM) were used to analyze driver behavior responses and address individual variations.
Main Results:
- Drivers exhibited impaired longitudinal and lateral performance in closely spaced tunnel-interchange sections.
- Removing advance guide signs at tunnel exits and replacing them with pavement markers improved driver performance.
- Adding tunnel exit distance signs enhanced driver situation awareness.
Conclusions:
- Traffic control device design is critical for managing safety in complex tunnel-interchange sections.
- Specific modifications, such as sign removal/replacement and the addition of distance markers, can enhance driver safety.
- Findings support revisions to national engineering standards for traffic control devices.
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