Introduction
Roadwork sites on high-speed roads represent complex environments where human, environmental, and infrastructural factors interact to influence driver behaviour. Perceptions of the characteristics of the roadwork zone and personality aspects related to driving can affect how drivers behave, more or less safely, within the roadwork zone.
Purpose
This study, commissioned by Autostrade per l'Italia, aims to assess personal characteristics of drivers, particularly risk propensity, and to compare the subjective perceptions of different types of roadwork sites in a simulated scenario.
Method
The sample included 80 participants of both genders, aged between 18 and 65 years, who drove in eight different scenarios on the simulator, representing three distinct types of motorway construction sites: lane closure with lane exchange, slow lane closure, and fast lane closure. Before testing, participants completed a questionnaire assessing risk propensity using three scales: the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire, the Sensation Seeking Scale, and the Risk Propensity Scale. Afterward, they completed a questionnaire evaluating their perception of the roadwork sites in terms of danger, clarity of signage, presence of distractions, and driving effort required.
Results
The findings indicate varying perceptions of the different site types, with lane closures involving lane exchanges perceived as the most dangerous, demanding, and difficult to traverse. Participants showed a preference for and perceived lower risk in scenarios with fewer signals, particularly visual signals, which require less cognitive effort to adapt driving behaviour. Two clusters of participants were identified based on risk propensity; such groups also proved different in the perception of the road environment.
Conclusions
Analyzing subjective evaluations of safety in roadwork sites represents a valuable method to understand how site features, designed to promote driver safety, are perceived. Results showed that, in addition, personality factors play a role in subjective evaluations of safety , highlighting the importance of considering individual differences in safety communication and site design.