Does information provision always enable drivers to make better decisions?–A study on decision-making dilemmas at uncontrolled intersections

The safety implications of two vehicles encountering at uncontrolled intersections remain a significant concern. Despite the availability of connected information, drivers might still face decision-making dilemmas that pose potential risks to traffic safety. To explore the impact of connected information in such interactive dilemmas on driving decisions and traffic operation, a video-based preemptive/yielding (P/Y) decision-making experiment involving 62 straight-going (SG) and 62 left-turning (LT) drivers was conducted under connected information provision. Recognizing the potential adverse effects on operational efficiency if both drivers choose to yield and the threat to traffic safety in scenarios where both opt for preemptive actions, the joint decisions made by SG and LT drivers were treated as response outcomes. Three interactive dilemmas conditions, the provision of turning information, and individual characteristics attributes were considered as explanatory variables. By developing a random regret minimization mixed multinomial logit model, this study examined the effects of connected information on joint decisions and their subsequent influence on potential traffic safety and operational efficiency. The findings indicate that (1) different dilemma conditions significantly influence joint decisions. The high probability of Y-Y and P-P joint decisions suggests that even with the availability of connected information, better driving decisions may not always be achieved. Notably, providing connected information in dilemma condition (2) (where the SG vehicle had a smaller speed but a closer distance to the intersection than the LT vehicle) increases the likelihood of heterogeneous Y-P joint decisions, thus benefiting overall traffic operations. (2) Turning information generally contributes to traffic operations by increasing Y-P joint decisions, yet it also exacerbates potentially hazardous interactions, marked by an increase in both sides choosing preemptive behaviors (P-P joint decisions). This emphasizes the need for traffic authorities to regulate left-turning vehicles’ turn signal usage. (3) Heterogeneous individual characteristics tend to lead to diverse joint decisions, particularly concerning penalty record, accident history, and driving skill. Surprisingly, the heterogeneity of education, income, and driving experience presents a higher probability of homogeneous joint decisions. Overall, this study contributes significantly to understanding the determinants influencing interactive driving decision-making under connected information provision, aiming to the advancement of more efficient and safer vehicle-connected transportation systems.