Manipulating constraints on driver-cyclist interactions in a fixed travel space: Effects of road configuration on drivers’ overtaking behavior

•Lane width and cyclist position affected lateral clearance left by drivers.•However, lane width and cyclist position also affected the driver’s travel space.•Controlling the driver’s travel space is crucial when studying overtaking maneuvers.•In a constant travel space, shoulder width did not affect lateral clearance.•In a constant travel space, varying road configuration altered lateral clearance. The effect of road configuration on drivers’ behavior when overtaking cyclists has mainly been investigated in the field by measuring the leeway left by motorists at the time of passing (i.e., lateral clearance) without controlling for the driver’s travel space (i.e., distance between the centerline and the cyclist). The aim of the present driving-simulator study was to determine whether manipulating the configuration of two-lane rural roads in a fixed travel space would affect driver overtaking on tangents. The lane width, shoulder width, and the cyclist’s position were manipulated. Driver overtaking behavior was analyzed by measuring lateral clearance, passing speed, and the frequency of near passes (