An assessment of the effect of green signal countdown timers on drivers’ behavior and on road safety at intersections, based on driving simulator experiments and naturalistic observation studies

Yan，Wei1; Wong，S. C.1,3; Loo，Becky P.Y.2,3; Wu，Connor Y.H.4; Huang，Helai5; Pei，Xin6; Meng，Fanyu7,8

2022

10.1016/j.jsr.2022.04.001

JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH   影响因子和分区

0022-4375

1879-1247

Introduction: Motor-vehicle crashes at signalized intersections are a significant traffic safety problem. To address this problem, many Asian cities have installed signal countdown displays at signalized intersections, aiming to assist drivers to make correct decisions in response to traffic signals. Method: In this study, we assessed the short-term and long-term effects of green signal countdown timers (GSCTs) on road safety, using a combination of driving simulator experiments and naturalistic observations. Results: In our driving simulator experiments, 80 participants drove at 50 km/h in scenarios in which a car either approached a signalized intersection alone or following another car. In naturalistic observations, short-term (1-week) and long-term (1-year) intersection safety in the presence and absence of GSCTs were compared. These observations revealed that GSCTs reduced the number of red-light-running violations over the short term, but not over the long term. In fact, GSCTs appeared to lead to an overall increase in rear-end crash risk at intersections, as their presence resulted in drivers exhibiting more sudden acceleration and braking, and altered intersection-crossing speeds and patterns. Conclusions: The results suggest that GSCTs worsen safety at signalized intersections, and thus their removal should be considered.

Driving behavior Green signal countdown timer (GSCT) Signalized intersection safety

SSCI ; EI

英语

通讯

University of Hong Kong[201309176024];National Natural Science Foundation of China[71671100];

Engineering ; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health ; Social Sciences - Other Topics ; Transportation

Ergonomics ; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health ; Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary ; Transportation

WOS:000861387700001

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

20222112152598

Accident prevention ; Accidents ; Automobile simulators ; Motor transportation ; Roads and streets ; Traffic signals

Roads and Streets:406.2 ; Highway Traffic Control:432.4 ; Automobiles and Smaller Vehicles:662 ; Pulse Circuits:713.4 ; Accidents and Accident Prevention:914.1

SOCIAL SCIENCES, GENERAL

2-s2.0-85130472319

Scopus

1.Department of Civil Engineering,The University of Hong Kong,Pokfulam Road,Hong Kong
2.Department of Geography,The University of Hong Kong,Pokfulam Road,Hong Kong
3.Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macau Joint Laboratory for Smart Cities,China
4.Department of Geospatial Informatics,College of Arts and Sciences,Troy University,Troy,United States
5.School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering,Central South University,Changsha,China
6.Department of Automation,Tsinghua University,Beijing,China
7.Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China
8.Department of Statistics and Data Science,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China

Yan，Wei,Wong，S. C.,Loo，Becky P.Y.,等. An assessment of the effect of green signal countdown timers on drivers’ behavior and on road safety at intersections, based on driving simulator experiments and naturalistic observation studies[J]. JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH,2022,82:1-12.

Yan，Wei.,Wong，S. C..,Loo，Becky P.Y..,Wu，Connor Y.H..,Huang，Helai.,...&Meng，Fanyu.(2022).An assessment of the effect of green signal countdown timers on drivers’ behavior and on road safety at intersections, based on driving simulator experiments and naturalistic observation studies.JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH,82,1-12.

Yan，Wei,et al."An assessment of the effect of green signal countdown timers on drivers’ behavior and on road safety at intersections, based on driving simulator experiments and naturalistic observation studies".JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH 82(2022):1-12.