Research on Vehicles' Detouring Route Choice Behavior under Traffic Accident Conditions

In order to determine the impact area and impact degree of traffic accidents, we made this research. We divided vehicles’ detouring behavior under traffic accident conditions into two stages and studied them respectively. The two stages are the initial detouring route choice and the route choice after vehicles reach the normal network. For the first stage, we firstly analyzed the particularity of vehicles’ detouring behavior, on the basis of which we determined the detouring process. Then, combing with an example, we calculated the “utilities” of alternative paths using the “prospect theory”, and used the result to determine vehicles’ initial detouring route. For the second stage, we suggested using the traditional traffic assignment methods, with reasons given. In this paper, a combination of the “prospect theory” and the traditional traffic assignment methods is used. The result helps to study vehicles’ detouring behavior and traffic accidents’ impact.