Safer pathfinding strategies for multilevel interchange guide signs based on driving behavior coordination analysis.

Area of Science:

• Traffic Engineering
• Human Factors Engineering
• Road Safety

Background:

• Multilevel highway interchanges pose significant pathfinding challenges due to complex layouts and rapid directional changes.
• Inadequate guide signs contribute to driver confusion and jeopardize safety in these environments.
• This study shifts focus from accident analysis to understanding and mitigating risk behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze driver cognitive preferences and functional expectations for guide sign design.
• To investigate the impact of traffic signage on pathfinding behavior and safety in simulation.
• To quantify the relationship between vehicle stability and maneuvering, and evaluate sign effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Subjective demand analysis of driver preferences.
• Driving simulation experiments to capture pathfinding behavior under different sign conditions.
• Coupled collaborative analysis of longitudinal and lateral vehicle dynamics.

Main Results:

• Drivers prioritize "destination separation for different directions" and "lane guidance" information.
• Sign schemes significantly influence longitudinal and lateral pathfinding behaviors, requiring coordinated improvements.
• Specific sign strategies (e.g., "different directions" at exits, combined guidance at first diversion, simplified guidance at second diversion) improve decision-making, speed adjustment, and lane maneuvering.

Conclusions:

• Optimized guide signs, particularly those offering continuous navigation-style prompts, enhance driver decision-making and maneuverability.
• The proposed risk prevention strategies improve longitudinal safety margins and lateral stability.
• Coordinated improvements in guide sign design can lead to enhanced overall traffic safety in complex interchanges.