Individual route choice and decision responses in fire evacuation scenarios using immersive virtual simulations

Effective fire evacuation depends on evacuees’ ability to quickly identify and commit to safe routes. However, most studies have focused on route-choice outcomes, and the behavioral dynamics underlying decision-making have largely been overlooked. In this study, we used immersive virtual environments to analyze route choices and decision responses. Participants showed clear preferences for windowed routes (85.1%) and forward directions (83.9%), whereas tendencies toward large spaces and left/right turns were inconsistent. Depending on spatial layout and cues, they made 2.5–3.2 exploratory head-turns on average before making a decision as to the route to take. Decisions were approximately 37.0% faster at cross-type intersection with a forward option (2.0s) than at T-type intersection with lateral options (3.2s). Both decision time and number increased under ambiguous cue conditions. These findings indicate that clear visual cues and direct route orientations not only guide route, but also reduce decision effort and improve evacuation efficiency. • Immersive virtual simulations of fire evacuation quantify individual route choice • Decision time and exploratory head turns capture effort at four decision points • Route choice favors forward paths (83.9%) and windowed routes (85.1%) • Intersections with a forward path cut decision time by 37% (2.0 s vs 3.2 s) • Ambiguous cues increase exploration and delay route commitment