Assessing the Impact of Construction Work Zone Layout on Traffic Safety: A Driving Simulator Experiment

Work zones for road construction, maintenance, and enhancement activities affect traffic safety and reduce road network efficiency. This study aims to investigate the effect of work zone layout on traffic safety by designing and conducting a driving simulator experiment. Twenty participants were recruited to drive through three different scenarios, including a scenario without heavy equipment, a scenario with heavy equipment near the closed lane at the beginning of the work zone (position 1), and a scenario with heavy equipment away from the closed lane at the end of the work zone (position 2). The driving behaviors of the participants, including longitudinal velocity and lateral offset, were monitored and collected. The results suggest that heavy equipment in construction work zone should be placed at position 2 from a safety perspective.