Driver Behavior Characterization in Roundabout Crossings

Roundabouts are widely accepted for their safety, capacity and environmental advantages. Although it can be easily recognized that the driver behavior is mostly related with the roundabout geometry.This paper presents a detailed characterization of the driver behavior while crossing three consecutive double-lane roundabouts in an arterial road.Driver behavior was described in three main levels: i) speed profiles; ii) lateral acceleration profiles; iii) roundabout geometry. It is shown that roundabouts can substantially reduce speed in the negotiation zone. The entry speed and influence zone depends on the desired speed in the upstream sections and on the roundabout geometric characteristics.