Speeds of Cars on Horizontal Curves

Abstract

Revision of existing Yugoslav road-design standards, specifically in the area of road-design speed definition, required studying driver behavior in free-flow conditions in order to define drivers’ responses to the radii of horizontal curves. A specific approach with variable design speed for horizontal curves is discussed and is supported by speed measurements on roads. The pilot research was undertaken on several test sites on Yugoslav two-lane rural roads to collect reliable speed data related to characteristics of horizontal curves. Characteristics of test sites, experimental procedures, data collected, and results of data analyses are described. It is concluded that speeds of free-flow passenger cars show good correlation with radii and that actual design policy with a constant design speed underestimates speeds in radii less than 250 m. Thus, the variable design speed concept is a more realistic approach. Further research on more test sites is recommended.