Which vehicle type is more responsive to traffic information provided on local roads?

Abstract

In general, the same traffic information is provided to all drivers. This study investigated different responses to traffic information based on vehicle type on a local road. A living lab-based experiment was conducted in Seoul, South Korea. This experiment examined changes in approach speed and braking distances of vehicles in response to safety alerts. Data in the form of video recordings were collected, processed, and statistically analyzed. Two key findings emerged. Firstly, approach speed and braking distances were significantly reduced in both passenger and non-passenger car groups. This suggests that traffic information can effectively manage traffic, even on low-speed local roads, not just on high-speed arterial roads. Secondly, while overall responses were more pronounced in the non-passenger car group, the difference in braking distances between vehicle types was minimal. This indicates that driver responses to the interventions vary depending on the metric employed. These findings were interpreted in the context of safety-enhancing strategies for local roads. Specifically, traffic information should be customized to individual users rather than uniformly provided to all drivers, with tailored practices being essential for effective implementation. Finally, two critical issues-the transferability of results and the need for future research-arising from the living-lab survey environment were discussed.