Effect of distance information and number of warning signs on driving safety of young adults near road work zones in China

Yanqun Yang; Xianhui Liu; Said M Easa; Yang Feng; Xinyi Zheng

doi:10.1016/j.aap.2023.107230

Effect of distance information and number of warning signs on driving safety of young adults near road work zones in China

Accid Anal Prev. 2023 Nov:192:107230. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107230. Epub 2023 Aug 7.

Authors

Yanqun Yang¹, Xianhui Liu¹, Said M Easa², Yang Feng¹, Xinyi Zheng³

Affiliations

¹ College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350116, China; Joint International Research Laboratory on Traffic Psychology & Behaviors, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350116, China.
² Joint International Research Laboratory on Traffic Psychology & Behaviors, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350116, China; Department of Civil Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada.
³ Joint International Research Laboratory on Traffic Psychology & Behaviors, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350116, China; School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350116, China. Electronic address: zhengxinyi@fzu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37556999
DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107230

Abstract

The continuous growth of automobile ownership and road mileage in China has brought a lot of road maintenance work. The work zone shall be set for road maintenance work. Due to the road characteristics near the work zone, more accidents and a higher accident risk exist. Traffic signs are one of the essential means to ensure traffic safety. The location and number of road work signs (sign level) play a crucial role in driver safety near the work zone. The repeated road work signs can form a warning system to regulate driver behavior. This paper evaluates the effect of the number of warning signs with and without distance information on driver behavior (psychological load and physiological characteristics) near the work zone. The matter-element extension model is used for comprehensive evaluation. The study resulted in several findings. First, adding distance information improves the difficulty and time of visual recognition and enhances driver alertness. On the other hand, too many road signs are not conducive to maintaining driver alertness. Second, distance information on the work signs and the repeated setting of road warning signs add extra burden on the driver and increase driver fatigue. Third, driver's response to the repeated road work signs will gradually become stable; The speed transition under the warning signs Levels 2 and 3 are more stable than that under the warning sign Levels 1 and 4. Finally, the warning sign level shall not be more than 3. If the advanced warning area is short, it is recommended to select a warning sign Level 1. If the advanced warning area is relatively long, it is recommended to choose a warning sign Level 2. Finally, adding distance information will improve the overall effect of the warning scheme. These findings can provide a valuable reference for setting the road work signs near the work zone in practice in China.

Keywords: Distance information; Driving safety; Matter-element extension model; Road work sign; Warning sign number; Work zone.

MeSH terms

Accidents, Traffic* / prevention & control
Attention
Automobile Driving* / psychology
China
Humans
Safety
Young Adult