The Impact of Perceptual Road Markings on Driving Behavior in Horizontal Curves: A Driving Simulator Study

Horizontal curves have been a significant safety concern on roads for years, often resulting in a high incidence of crashes. A European Road Safety Observatory report indicated that 53% of road crashes in the EU in 2020 occurred on rural roads, mainly due to misjudging when navigating these curves. This study explores innovative low-cost road designs for this issue, such as the red-white pattern edge line (RWE), the solid red edge line (RE), the alternating red-white checkered median stripe (RWM), and the red dragon’s teeth (RDT) to improve driver behavior around curves. The various road markings were tested based on speed, acceleration/deceleration, and lateral position before and during horizontal curves in a driving simulator using STISIM Drive® 3. Fifty-two volunteers, aged between 20 and 75, participated in the study. The simulation road was designed according to the Flemish Road Agency (AWV) guidelines. The simulation tested twelve horizontal curves, including left and right turns, with 125 m and 350 m radii. The results were analyzed using within-subjects repeated measures ANOVA, with Greenhouse–Geisser correction for sphericity violations. It was revealed that these markings can reduce driving speeds and improve control, enhancing road safety. Specifically, the red-white median stripe resulted in better lateral positioning. At the same time, red dragon’s teeth minimized deceleration before curves, although their effects were less significant for curves with larger radii.