The increased safety risk nearby curves, which is shown by a variety of accident data analyses, might be related to three main behavioural causative factors, i.e., inappropriate speed monitoring, failure to maintain proper lateral position, and inability to meet increased attentional demands (Charlton, 2007). A variety of additional infrastructural traffic control devices has been tested in field experiments and driving simulator studies. Although the available literature concerning simulator experiments where drivers are exposed only once to the traffic control device are well reported, it is relatively unclear to what extend drivers’ behaviour will be consistent over time when drivers are repeatedly exposed to the same treatment. This study examined drivers’ behaviour nearby dangerous curves when they are repeatedly exposed to the same transversal rumble strips which were located on the tangent before the curve. During a period of five successive days, sixteen participants completed a 17km test-drive in a driving simulator with four dangerous curves (two without and two with transversal rumble strips) in a within-subjects design. The selection of these curves was based on the official Belgian accident database and both curves were replicated in the driving simulator as detailed and realistic as possible. Results indicated that the transversal rumble strips induced a speed reduction of 3.5 to 4 kph on the tangent before the curve. This speed reduction effect sustained over the experimental period of five days. Driving behaviour related to mean acceleration and deceleration and mean lateral position is investigated in the paper. Taking the speed reduction effect into account, we can conclude that transversal rumble strips have a potential positive traffic safety effect because the reduced speed on the tangent provides more time to the drivers to make a good evaluation of the curve characteristics and environment and adapt their driving behaviour in an appropriate way. Notwithstanding, we advise policy makers to make a good selection of potential dangerous curves to avoid excessive implementation of transversal rumble strips. (Author/publisher)
Abstract