Introduction. In an effort to improve road safety and enhance the quality of the urban environment, designers are increasingly using strategies known as “traffic calming”. One of the most common techniques in this context is narrowing the width of traffic lanes. The idea is that narrower lanes force drivers to intuitively slow down, potentially reducing the risk of traffic accidents.
According to the psychology of driver behavior, the width of the roadway affects the perception of speed and the feeling of safety. Narrower lanes cause higher levels of stress, forcing drivers to be more cautious, while wide lanes encourage higher speeds, even in urban environments.
The problem. One of the most cost-effective and flexible tools is lane narrowing. However, discussions about the optimal width have been going on for decades.
Until 2015, most engineers and scientists recommended lanes between 3.3 m and 3.6 m wide, even in cities. Recent studies suggest reducing lane width to (2.7–3.0) m, but not everyone agrees, citing the “risk of collisions”.
Objective. To investigate the impact of lane width on road safety.
Materials and methods. Empirical and theoretical methods were used in the study.
Results. A study was conducted on the impact of lane width on traffic flow speed and the occurrence of traffic accidents. The width of traffic lanes on motorways in Ukraine and other countries was analyzed. It was proven that it is identical in most European countries, as well as in Ukraine. The width of traffic lanes varies between 3.75 and 3.00 m.
Conclusions. Therefore, the optimal option when choosing the width of a traffic lane is a lane width of 3 m. It is this width, in this case, that will ensure the safe movement of vehicles. It has been proven that reducing the width of a traffic lane in order to force drivers to reduce their speed is relevant and effective only within city limits. On public highways of national importance, where there is constant traffic of heavy vehicles, narrowing the width of traffic lanes is inappropriate.
