Addressing the impact of road scheme complexity on the driver: Development of a software tool to analyse driver workload arising from its road features and other infrastructure

As road scheme design including ITS features, has a direct impact on the behaviour of drivers and consequently on road safety, understanding the demands placed on the driver by different scheme designs is critical. This paper outlines the purpose for investigating driver workload and scheme design, the applicable science and the development of a software tool created to allow scheme designers to predict driver workload. The tool can be used to isolate infrastructure arrangements such as message signs and signals and other design features contributing to high workload. The designer can trial alternative scheme designs to evenly spread driver workload and consequently the potential for human error.