Relationships Between Drivers’ Safety Perception and Merging Behavior in Work Zones

Merging situations in work zones often introduce elevated safety risks because of dynamic lane configurations, temporary traffic controls, and the complex, rapid decision-making required by drivers in controlled environments. Previous research has analyzed driver safety perception in work zone areas; however, limited attention has been paid to understanding how the perceived level of safety relates to driving behavior in work zone merging. This study addresses this gap by examining how individual differences in driving behavior are associated with drivers’ perceived safety when navigating merging maneuvers in work zones. An online survey was conducted on 333 drivers in Australia and the UK, gathering data on driver safety perceptions for 16 simulated merging scenarios. Respondents also completed a Driver Behavior Questionnaire. In a two-step analysis methodology, a principal component analysis (PCA) was first employed to reduce the dimensionality of the data and extract underlying behavioral and perceptual constructs. A generalized estimating equations regression model was then developed to determine the associations between safety perception and the components obtained from the PCA. The results showed that drivers prone to cognitive errors felt less safe when surrounded by more than two vehicles, and the aggression and violation traits had less effect on safety perceptions. Younger and male drivers feel safer in potentially risky situations. The results offer a data-driven basis for improving risk assessment frameworks and tailoring driver-targeted interventions in work zones.