Underlying theoretical constructs and implementation of Self-Explaining Roads

Self-explaining roads (SERs) have become a leading principle of road design, essentially forming one of the pillars of the Safe System approach. The basic idea of SERs is that the drivers’ perception of the road and road environment influences their behavior. According to the SERs concept, through the appropriate selection of features and design, drivers receive consistent affirmation of the type of road they are driving on and its function, from which they will infer the appropriate driving behavior. The study attempts to identify the theoretical constructs that explain driving behavior, and the design requirements and considerations under the SERs concept. The development and implementation of SERs involves considerable multi-phased work. The proposed approach to modifying the appearance of roads on the basis of design principles for SERs might demonstrate that road agencies support road users when the road network discourages errors and protects them.