Investigators from University of Florence Zero in on Risk Management (Speed behaviour in work zone crossovers. A driving simulator study)

Insurance Weekly News

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Investigators publish new report on Risk Management. According to news reporting from Florence, Italy, by VerticalNews journalists, research stated, "Reductions in speed and, more critically, in speed variability between vehicles are considered an important factor to reduce crash risk in work zones. This study was designed to evaluate in a virtual environment the drivers' behaviour in response to nine different configurations of a motorway crossover work zone."

Financial support for this research came from CEDR Cross-border Transnational Road Research Programme.

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from the University of Florence, "Specifically, the speed behaviour through a typical crossover layout, designed in accordance with the Italian Ministerial Decree 10 July 2002, was compared with that of eight alternative configurations which differ in some characteristics such as the sequence of speed limits, the median opening width and the lane width. The influence of variable message signs, of channelizing devices and of perceptual treatments based on Human Factor principles were also tested. Forty-two participants drove in driving simulator scenarios while data on their speeds and decelerations were collected. The results indicated that drivers' speeds are always higher than the temporary posted speed limits for all configurations and that speeds decreases significantly only within the by-passes. However the implementation of higher speed limits, together with a wider median opening and taller channelization devices led to a greater homogeneity of the speeds adopted by the drivers."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "The presence of perceptual measures generally induced both the greatest homogenization of speeds and the largest reductions in mean speed values."

For more information on this research see: Speed behaviour in work zone crossovers. A driving simulator study. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2017;98():10-24. Accident Analysis and Prevention can be contacted at: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Accident Analysis and Prevention - www.journals.elsevier.com/accident-analysis-and-prevention/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting L. Domenichini, University of Florence, Civil & Environm Engn Department, I-50139 Florence, Italy. Additional authors for this research include F. La Torre, V. Branzi and A. Nocentini.

Keywords for this news article include: Florence, Italy, Europe, Risk Management, University of Florence.