Providing Information in Construction Restricted Areas of Expressway Based on Clarification of the Function of Principal Signs

Abstract

In recent years, the number of accidents involving head-on collisions at the beginning of work zone has been increasing rapidly. In this study, we focused on principal signs among the various signs that exist in construction restricted areas and proposed a method of providing regulatory information within the work zone to reduce the number of collisions considering driver-road interaction. We conducted an indoor driving experiment using a driving simulator and collected data on the driver's gaze, lane change position, and the target of the decision to change lanes. Based on our analysis, we found that the risk of such accidents could be reduced by installing two each of reduced lane signs and road construction signs in that order, and installing maximum speed signs in accordance with current installation methods. We suggest that this sign arrangement, combined with regulatory information provided by a sign car that is highly visible from a distance and effective in encouraging early lane changes, as identified in a previous study, can significantly reduce the risk of collisions in work zones.