Evaluating the Effectiveness of Speed Reduction Markings in Highway Tunnels

Abstract

As typical weak visual reference systems, highway tunnels have low illumination, monotonous environment and few references, which may cause severe visual illusion and reduce drivers' speed perception ability. Thus, drivers tend to underestimate their driving speed, which may induce speeding behaviours that result in rear-end collisions. The cost-effective pavement markings installed on both sides of the lane or shoulder may make drivers overestimate their speed. This perception can help ensure safe driving and regulate driving behaviour effectively. This study analyses the effects of sidewall markings in typical low luminance highway tunnels, specifically observing how their angles and lengths affect the driver's speed perception. A three-dimensional model of highway tunnels was built in a driving simulator. Psychophysical tests of speed perception were carried out by the method of limits. The simulation tests studied the Stimulus of Subjectively Equal Speed (SSES) and reaction time in relation to sidewall markings with different angles. Furthermore, based on the optimal angle, the effects of sidewall marking with different lengths on speed perception were also analysed. The test results reveal that the angle and length of sidewall markings have a significant impact on the driver's SSES and reaction time. Moreover, the level of speed overestimation decreases with the increase of angle or length of sidewall marking. As the angle of sidewall marking gradually increases, the maximum reaction time first increases and then decreases. Within the angle of sidewall marking of 15°, the subjects have the highest speed overestimation and an easy speed judgment. This may due to Zöllner illusion, the driver's perception of lane width shrinks may induce deceleration behaviour.

Evaluation of Effectiveness of Speed Reduction Markings on Driving Speed in Highway Tunnel Entrance and Exit Areas

“…In the entrance zones, the driving speed had a noticeable difference in the situation of NSRMs and SRMs. Previous studies reported that speeds were significantly affected by SRMs [27][28][29]. In this study, a similar downward trend has performed in the situation of NSRMs and SRMs, but a lower speed occurred in case of SRMs.…”

“…TRSMs, LSRMs, and CASMs can all produce the visual illusions that affect the drivers' speed perception [27][28][29], or warn the drivers to reduce speed, as well as raise the drivers' vigilance [20]. Figure 3) was used to collect the real-time data, including operation data of vehicles (speed, acceleration, etc.)…”

Coupling Models of Road Tunnel Traffic, Ventilation and Evacuation

“…This causes some difficulties during visualization where smooth movements are required for realistic representation. Similar issues are found when using such models in driving simulators, which often use 3D virtual reality interfacing in order to provide realistic visualization for evaluation of driver responses (Wan et al 2018). Real-time and faster computation is easily achieved using the traffic microsimulation models, where the road network is a single road tunnel with surrounding road sections.…”

Evaluation effects of two types of freeway deceleration markings in China

“…In China, speed reduction markings are not enforceable because the markings are characterized as non-intrusive speed control devices. Although many Chinese researchers [17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23] assume that speed reduction marking would make drivers believe that the lane becomes narrower which would generate visual illusion on drivers. However, such assumptions need more theoretical or empirical studies conducted based on the characteristics road specific in China.…”

“…Recently, a study was to analyze the effects of sidewall markings in highway tunnels by observing how their angles and lengths affect the driver’s speed perception. The results had the reflection of Zöllner illusion suggesting the perception of lane width shrinks may induce deceleration behavior [21]. Recently, Ding et al performed a naturalistic field driving to study the effects of reverse linear perspective of transverse markings on car-following headway in China.…”