Study of Detour Route Choice Behavior by Providing Information of Road Flooding

Abstract

The objective of this study is to clarify how the provision of information about flooded roads affects driver’s decision to choose detour or flooded roads. Factors such as information provided by in-car navigation systems showing the flooding situation, caution signs indicating the depth of flooding, and oncoming vehicles running through flooded sections were reproduced in video. A questionnaire survey and experiments using a driving simulator were conducted to understand the tendency to choose a detour. The results of the questionnaire survey confirmed that the information provided by the navigation system and caution signs are effective in encouraging detours. From the questionnaire survey, about 3.6% of the respondents indicated that they enter a flooded road at a depth of 30 cm, where the risk of engine stoppage is relatively high. In addition, the results of the driving simulator showed that the effect of encouraging detours was greater among people who have less experience driving on flooded roads.