Behavioral Risk Evolution and Differentiated Connected Intervention Strategies for Drivers from China and Belgium in Complex Interaction Scenarios

Abstract

Road traffic safety is a critical global issue concerning public health and sustainable development. Despite ongoing advancements in traffic safety measures, the global road safety situation remains severe, with persistently high rates of road traffic casualties. This reflects the deep-seated contradiction between the complexity of traffic systems and the lack of precision in safety governance. Among various factors, driverrelated errors in perception, decision-making, and vehicle control account for approximately 94% of traffic accidents, making driver behavior the most critical factor influencing the safety of interactions among different road users[1]. Regulating driver behavior has long been a key challenge for traffic accident prevention worldwide. However, driver behavior exhibits significant heterogeneity even in identical scenarios. This heterogeneity arises not only from explicit factors such as driving experience, gender, and age but also from implicit influences such as regional traffic environments and safety cultures shaped by long-term local contexts. Therefore, against the backdrop of global socioeconomic disparities and the highly heterogeneous nature of traffic environments, conducting cross-national comparative studies on driver behavior is essential for uncovering unique regional risk patterns, identifying effective governance strategies with precise adaptability, and advancing global road safety governance efforts. This study focuses on drivers from China and Belgium, selecting two representative scenarios: Overtaking on Two-Lane Rural Roads (complex “vehicle-vehicle” interactions) and Right-turn Yield to Pedestrians at Channelized Intersections (complex “vehicle-pedestrian” interactions). Experiments were conducted using driving simulators at Southeast University in China and Hasselt University in Belgium to collect data. The study aims to explore the similarities and differences in the safety characteristics and behavioral patterns of novice and experienced drivers in both countries, uncover the risk differences and their underlying mechanisms, and develop differentiated intervention strategies to improve driver safety.