Evaluation of traffic signs information volume at highway tunnel entrance zone based on the visual sample entropy of novice and experienced drivers.

Objective: Traffic signs play a crucial role in ensuring road traffic safety, particularly in high-risk driving zones like the entrance zone of highway tunnels. However, the impact of traffic signs information volume (TSIV) on the performance of experienced and novice drivers in this specific zone remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the influence of TSIV on the visual sample entropy (SampEn) of both experienced and novice drivers in the entrance zone of highway tunnels.
Methods: A real vehicle driving trial was conducted with 60 participants approaching tunnels under various TSIV conditions. Fixation duration SampEn, saccade duration SampEn, and saccade amplitude SampEn were analyzed for both driver groups.
Results: As both driver groups approached the tunnel entrance, fixation duration SampEn, saccade duration SampEn, and saccade amplitude SampEn gradually increased. Initially, visual SampEn declined, followed by an increase as the TSIV level increased. The lowest value of visual SampEn was observed under the T3 TSIV condition (48.31 bits). Experienced drivers exhibited lower visual SampEn compared to novice drivers under similar TSIV conditions.
Conclusions: TSIV and driving experience significantly influence the visual SampEn of drivers approaching the tunnel entrance. Optimal visual search patterns and performance were observed under the T3 TSIV condition (48.31 bits), which is critical for ensuring driving safety in the entrance zone of highway tunnels. Additionally, experienced drivers demonstrate better adaptation to tunnel environments and TSIV, while novice drivers may benefit from additional training to enhance their visual perception and performance.