Driver behavior on road work zones: a systematic review
DOI: 10.1016/j.trpro.2023.11.593
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Summary
This systematic review addresses the critical safety concerns associated with road work zones, where fatality risks are twice as high as in non-work zones. The study aims to synthesize existing literature to identify and categorize the factors influencing driver behavior in these complex environments. Recognizing that driver behavior is not isolated but influenced by correlated forces, the authors sought to provide a comprehensive overview of environmental, driver, and vehicle characteristics to inform future safety strategies and traffic management recommendations. The research was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. The authors searched four electronic databases—Scopus, Web of Science, APA PsycInfo, and IEEE—for studies published between 2010 and 2022. The search strategy utilized terms such as "work zones" and "roadworks" combined with "driver behavior," "driver characteristics," "vehicle characteristics," and "environment characteristics." From an initial pool of 2,101 articles, the authors applied strict inclusion criteria, selecting only qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method primary studies published in English. After screening, 21 studies were included in the final qualitative synthesis. The review categorized influencing factors into three groups: environmental, driver, and vehicle characteristics. Environmental factors significantly impact behavior; for instance, higher traffic density increases rear-end collision risks and aggressive driving, while lane width variations increase perceived stress. Traffic control devices were found to reduce casualty risks by 14% in construction zones and 21% in maintenance zones. Driver characteristics also play a crucial role: middle-aged males exhibit more risky behavior than females, and older drivers tend to drive slower and closer to the centerline as a behavioral compensation. Additionally, professional drivers, such as truck drivers, face higher risks due to limited rearward vision, while young drivers display greater aggression. Regarding vehicle characteristics, drivers of older vehicles (>10 years) engage in riskier behavior, likely due to reduced braking capabilities, whereas heavy vehicles require larger time headways and lane-change distances compared to passenger cars. The study concludes that driver behavior in work zones is multifaceted, shaped by the interplay of environmental stimuli, individual driver traits, and vehicle attributes. The findings highlight that drivers cannot be treated individually; their reactions depend on surrounding stimulants. The authors emphasize that future research and safety interventions must account for these correlated factors to achieve a better understanding of driver behavior. This comprehensive categorization provides a foundation for developing more effective traffic management strategies and educational measures to reduce accidents and protect both drivers and highway workers.
Key finding
Driver behavior in work zones is influenced by a complex interplay of environmental, driver, and vehicle characteristics rather than individual factors alone.
Methodology
review
Sample size: 21
Provenance
The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via author_sweep_intake on 2026-05-28.
| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | author_sweep | — | — | 2 | 2026-05-28 |
| archive | success | openalex | — | — | 9 | 2026-06-06 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 3 | 2026-06-10 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-04 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-04 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-04 |
| enrich | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-05-28 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-04 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 2 | 2026-06-10 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 15 | 2026-06-11 |
| verify | partial | — | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-10 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified_with_issues.
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Information type
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- Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data
- Theoretical Contribution: theory or model