A Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Lane-Changing Behavior Characteristics Using NGSIM Data

This study aims to characterize the lane-changing behavior in a spatial-temporal manner using the Next Generation Simulation (NGSIM) data, and to reveal its association with lane-changing safety. The lane-changing duration and distance of vehicles, as well as the relative speed and distance between the vehicles before and after lane-changing, were calculated and analyzed. Results showed that the lane-changing duration was mostly concentrated in 5−30 s, and lane-changing distance was largely concentrated in 0−4 m; the relative speed difference between the ego vehicle and preceding vehicle was greater than between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle both before and after lane-changing; and the distance difference was much smaller between the ego vehicle and the preceding vehicle. These findings suggest that the interaction between the ego vehicle and the preceding vehicle is comparatively more unstable than that of the following vehicle before and after lane-changing, which is more likely to lead to conflicts.