Driving Behaviour Evaluation for Widening Lane Line Width on Expressways Using a Driving Simulator

Roadway lane lines can provide drivers not only information on the continuous flow of traffic movement but also helpful information for proper lane positioning. In the overseas, widening lane line width is applied to consider traffic safety (i.g. sudden curve section, black spot) for convenient to recognize by elderly drivers. In Korea, the lane line width on expressway is designed as 10-15cm, but some countries have tried and operated wider lane line width for high risk areas. However, since the thickness of the lane line width can have various effects depending on the section characteristics, it must be appropriately used according to the situation. In this study, the effects of widening lane line width on different expressway facilities (i.e. straight sections, curved sections, and off-ramp) were evaluated to enhance traffic safety. Driving simulation experiments were conducted to analyze driving behaviour and performance based on changes of lane line width. Two groups of participants were formed based on age 50 to reflect the characteristics of the elderly drivers. The results showed that non-elderly drivers under 50 ages improved longitudinal safety in daytime in mainline straight sections. Also, semi-elderly drivers over 50 ages were found to be performing safety driving behaviour in off-ramp. The results derived from this study are expected to provide helpful insights to traffic engineers and policy makers to improve expressway safety.