Driving Speed Behaviour Approaching Road Work Zones On Two-Lane Rural Roads

Even though motor vehicle accidents related to work zones represent a small percentage of the total number of crashes, the phenomenon is significant and work zones can be considered a critical point for the safety of both vehicle occupants and workers. This study analyses the speed of vehicles approaching work zones aiming to understand the drivers’ speed behaviour. This work shows that drivers do not obey the temporary speed limit and that they reduce speeds only when the lane width is reduced, resulting in high deceleration rates. These results should be taken into careful consideration when designing work zone sites.