The influence of active road studs on safe driving behaviour

Llewellyn, Richard

Abstract

The establishment of safe roads and roadsides is one of the five elements of the safe system approach to road safety, the global initiative towards the goal of a transport system free from death and injury. Road marking and delineation systems form a crucial part of this element of the system. Building on the success of the traditional passive road stud, LED-powered active road studs offer potential new applications in road safety intervention.

Early research on active road studs suggested their use may result in better lateral vehicle control and improved safety perception by drivers, with no negative effect on speed. However, such work has been limited to simulator-based studies or small field installations. Critically, work to date has also focussed on links or tangent sections; little is known about the effect of the studs at or around junctions in real world applications. The aim of this work was to address this gap in knowledge.

Three case studies on the national strategic road network in South East Scotland were used to test the effects of the studs on drivers. A questionnaire survey of catchment area households was used to assess safety perception. Before-and-after surveys were undertaken along a rural route to determine speed effects. Traffic conflict techniques were used as a surrogate measure of road safety, to determine lane discipline effects at the world’s first roundabout to feature the technology.

Users reported increased confidence driving at night and believed overall safety had improved. No change in mean speeds was found; a positive result as improved visibility can be associated with higher speeds. Roundabout lane discipline improved, and traffic conflicts reduced after installation. The findings add to the evidence base on safety related road infrastructure and should provide confidence to practitioners considering active road stud use as a road safety intervention.

Citation

Llewellyn, R. The influence of active road studs on safe driving behaviour. (Thesis). Edinburgh Napier University

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jan 8, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 8, 2025
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.17869/enu.2024.4045237
• Award Date: Oct 31, 2024