Abstract

Speed reduction markings (SRMs) on road surface consist of transverse marking lines with decreasing spacing in the direction of vehicle movement. SRMs installed on a straight lane adjacent to a transition curve section contribute to deceleration of the vehicle toward the curve. A leading vehicle’s driver on SRM-installed lane may be exposed to accident risks due to shortage of deceleration and rear-end collision of a following vehicle. To avoid such risks, a layout of spacing intervals among the marking lines of SRMs is required to be optimized according to a speed trajectory of the leading vehicle approaching the curve. The aim of our study is to examine the optimal layout pattern by use of numerical simulation of both the vehicle speed trajectory and the rear-end collision. We construct an optimal control model of driving behavior with speed perception, and we combine it with a car-following model. In the case of SRMs before a sharp bend, our numerical examples showed the results as follows: 1) The layout pattern in which a decreasing rate between the spacing intervals is greater in the end section on SRM-installed lane than in the remaining sections may produce a high risk of the rear-end collision, although the leading vehicle safely enters the curve. 2) The pattern in which the decreasing rate is zero in all sections on SRM-installed lane may produce an accident with which the leading driver meets within the curve, although the rear-end collision risk is very few. These results indicate that the layout pattern of SRMs affecting speed choice of the leading driver toward the curve must consider not only the vehicle speed trajectory of the leading vehicle but also the rear-end collision risk of the following vehicle.

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