Evaluating the effects of the route guidance variable message signs on driving behaviors—a driving simulation study

Route guidance variable message signs (VMS) are widely applied in traffic incident management on highways by providing real-time spatiotemporal guidance information. The improper panel of route guidance VMS is likely to diminish the compliance with guidance and induce risky driving behaviors, disrupting the traffic flow or even causing crashes. This article aims to investigate the effects of route guidance VMS on driving behaviors in three aspects, vehicle operation, visual perception, and route choice. A driving simulation study with 32 participants was carried out to investigate the driving performance under four different VMS recognizing conditions: baseline (a typical guide sign) and three route guidance VMS panel schemes. Significant differences in average speed, speed fluctuation, average acceleration, and fixation proportion were found under various VMS recognition conditions. VMS3 had the least negative effects on vehicle operation and visual perception, and the compliance rate under VMS3 was the highest. The possible reasons are as follows: VMS3 has the simplified highway network structure and highlights the road directions with an eye-catching symbol, which can increase the comprehensibility of the guidance information while driving. Drivers need to take multiple actions under high-speed driving conditions while recognizing VMS, including reading the route guidance VMS, remaking route decisions, and operating the vehicle concurrently. Under such circumstances, the improper VMS panel would attract more drivers’ attention and induce excessive risk compensatory behaviors, reducing drivers’ compliance with guidance and situation awareness, and increasing crash risks. In addition, some VMS related traffic management strategies were proposed to improve safety and mobility of highways and further provide a basis for the formulation of related standards.