Volume 3 · Issue 7 (2026)
DOI number:
10.66521/2938-9933-2026072401
The Effect of Edge Rate Markings on Drivers' Visual Perception During Downhill Sections of Highways
Zhijie Jiang1,*, Zhengxu Shen2, Wenshuai Wang1, Chunli Yu1
1 Hubei Province Road and Bridge Co., Ltd., Wuhan 430056, China
2 Wuhan University of Technology, School of Transportation and Logistics Engineering, Wuhan, 430063, China
Corresponding Author: Zhijie Jiang (1244662752@qq.com)
Abstract: To investigate the effects of edge-rate lane markings on drivers’ visual characteristics during downhill sections of expressways, field tests were conducted on three downhill sections with different gradients. Twenty-eight drivers were recruited, and a Dikablis Glasses eye tracker was used to collect four visual metrics: pupil area, fixation duration, saccade velocity, and blink rate. The results showed that after the installation of edge-rate lane markings, drivers’ average pupil area decreased by 16.2%–18.1%, and blink rate increased by 8.2%–9.4%; the primary distribution range of fixation duration shortened from 400–475 ms to 375–450 ms, and the proportion of saccade velocities exceeding 50°/s increased significantly. A two-way analysis of variance revealed that the application of the markings had a significant main effect on all visual indicators (P < 0.01), and the downhill gradient also had a significant main effect (P < 0.05); however, there was no interaction between the two (P > 0.05). In summary, edge-rate lane markings can effectively reduce drivers’ visual load on downhill sections and improve information processing efficiency. They demonstrate consistent effectiveness across different gradients and can serve as an effective measure for improving traffic safety on downhill sections of expressways.
Keywords: Transportation Engineering; Freeway; Edge rate markings; Downhill gradient; Visual characteristics
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