Road Markings and Their Impact on Driver Behaviour and Road Safety: A Systematic Review of Current Findings
Table 3
Summary of the findings.
Research area
Number of studies
Highlights
Impact of road markings on driver behaviour
36
(1) Presence of road markings impacts both the lateral lane position and driving speed (2) The impact of different lengths of broken line on the driving speed and lateral position is relatively insignificant (3) With wider markings, drivers tend to approach the edge of the road more closely (4) Wider marking (especially edge lines) reduced vehicle crashes (5) Different road marking designs (transverse lines, herringbone and dragon teeth patterns, optical circles, etc.) proved to be a positive speed reduction and compliance measure (6) Flat and rumble transverse lines are most effective in reducing the speed prior to curves, intersection, and rural-urban connectors and transitions, while markings in herringbone pattern reduce driving speed along the curves and influenced the lateral position of the vehicle
Impact of road markings on road safety
35
(1) Analysed studies have mixed and inconclusive results; however, the prevailing opinion is that road markings have a positive impact on road safety (2) Road markings with higher retroreflectivity (>200 mcd/lx/m2) are associated with the lower number of road accidents (3) Maintaining road markings has positive effects on road safety (4) Retroreflection of markings in dry conditions is significantly higher than that in wet conditions (5) Minimum level of retroreflection required by drivers ranges between 100 and 150 mcd/lx/m2 in dry conditions and about 150 mcd/lx/m2 in wet conditions (6) In general, road markings retroreflectivity (initial as well as long term) depends on a number of different factors, such as quality, embedment and density of glass beads, material type, age, road type, number of lanes per roads, snow maintenance activities, amount and speed of traffic, direction of stripping, and type and roughness of roadway, etc.
