THE IMPORTANCE OF LANE-CHANGING ON MOTORWAYS

Details are given of a study over a one-kilometer section of German autobahn equipped with detectors at 100 M intervals. The results are based on microscopic data for 2000 lane-changes and macroscopic values for 11000 lane-changes. The number of passings was also determined from the output of the event-recorder. The results are used to establish the relationship between frequencies of passing and of lane changing as a function of traffic volume. Regression analysis is used to show a close relationship between the two quantities. A model was developed to estimate the effect of lane-changing on traffic safety. It is shown that 10 to 15 obstructing lane-changes per kilometer per hour could be expected at volumes exceeding 2000 veh/h. A method is suggested for using the model to consider traffic volume conflicts when evaluating the accident rate for a road section. It is also suggested that "no lane changing" signs could be used when dense traffic is created at a bottleneck. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00410683
• Corporate Authors:

  Printerhall Limited

  29 Newmart Street
  London W1P 3PE,   England 
• Authors:
  • Sparmann, U
• Publication Date: 1979-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 320-322
• Serial:
  • Traffic Engineering & Control
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Hemming Group, Limited
  • ISSN: 0041-0683
  • Serial URL: http://www.tecmagazine.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash rates; Freeways; Highways; Lane changing; Mathematical models; Passing; Regression analysis; Sensors; Speed; Traffic conflicts; Traffic flow; Traffic lanes; Traffic safety; Traffic signs; Traffic volume; Vehicle detectors; Vehicles; Weaving traffic
• Uncontrolled Terms: Models; Position
• Geographic Terms: Germany
• ITRD Terms: 1612: Accident rate; 8125: Germany; 9061: Location; 647: Merging traffic; 2752: Motorway; 1822: Overtaking; 6120: Sensor; 5408: Speed; 671: Traffic flow; 2827: Traffic lane; 1255: Vehicle
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00310328
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 6 1981 12:00AM