Empirical Study of Gap-Acceptance Behavior of Right-Turn-on-Red Drivers on Dual Right-Turn Lanes

Abstract

Operational performance of right-turn-on-red (RTOR) at signalized intersections is a function of drivers’ gap-acceptance behavior. The objective of this study is to characterize gap-acceptance behavioral patterns of individual RTOR drivers turning from dual right-turn lanes. On the basis of direct field observation, binary logit models were developed, calibrated, and validated, and the attributes that have significant effects on gap-acceptance decisions were identified. The proposed model showed an improved capability of predicting gap-acceptance decisions as opposed to conventional, deterministic methods that may overrepresent aggressive drivers, whereas the deterministic method represents a reasonable trade-off between accuracy and ease of use for dual right-turn lanes. For RTOR drivers turning from a curb right-turn lane, the critical headway decreases on average as they are waiting for an acceptable gap. RTOR drivers turning from an inside right-turn lane did not demonstrate statistically significant evidence of increased impatience while waiting.