The effect of guardrail color on driver behavior based on driving style along mountain curves

Abstract

Objective

Mountain highways are linearly complex, with extensive curves and high accident injury rates, how to improve driving safety is the key to traffic safety management on mountain highways, and it also meets the need for harmonious and sustainable development of the society. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of different guardrail color configurations on the driving behavior of different styles of drivers when driving on mountainous curves from the perspective of improving road aids – guardrails.

Methods

A virtual reality experiment was designed using a driving simulator and VR technology, and 64 subjects were recruited to participate and complete the experiment.

Results

Drivers with non-adaptive driving styles (Reckless, Angry, Anxious) traveled at significantly higher speeds than subjects with adaptive driving styles (Cautious) on mountainous roads; drivers with Cautious styles had better lane-keeping ability when passing through different radii of curves as compared to non-adaptive drivers; and the red and yellow guardrails were more effective in decreasing the speeds at which drivers passed and in increasing the stability of lane-keeping.

Conclusions

The results of the study show that the effectiveness of red and yellow guardrails is better, which provides a reference for the traffic management department to propose a standardized color setting of guardrails in mountainous areas, which is conducive to the development of more precise traffic management measures to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

Keywords:

• Mountain curves
• guardrail color
• driving style
• driving behavior
• road safety

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Program under Grant No. 23NSFSC2793.