The　pollutants　emitted　by　traveling　vehicles　are　prone　to　accumulation　inside　urban　highway　tunnels,　which　poses　a　serious　threat　to　the　driving　safety　and　health　of　passengers.　This　study　employed　the　dynamic　mesh　method　to　simulate　a　traveling　vehicle　and　investigated　the　coupling　effect　of　vehicle　wake　and　jet　flow　on　the　dispersion　characteristics　of　pollutants　in　urban　highway　tunnels.　To　ensure　the　accuracy　of　the　numerical　simulation　results,　the　turbulence　model　(realizable　k–ε　model)　and　dynamic　mesh　model　were　validated　through　field　tests.　The　results　revealed　that　jet　flow　can　disrupt　the　large-scale　longitudinal　vortices　pattern　in　the　wake　region,　whereas　vehicle　wake　can　simultaneously　weaken　the　entrainment　strength　of　jet　flow.　The　jet　flow　was　found　to　be　decisive　in　the　space　with　a　height　greater　than　4　m,　whereas　the　vehicle　wake　intensity　was　considerably　stronger　at　the　bottom　space　of　the　tunnel,　leading　to　the　accumulation　of　pollutants　in　the　passenger　breathing　zone.　To　evaluate　the　effect　of　jet　fans　on　pollutants　in　the　breathing　zone,　an　innovative　dilution　efficiency　was　proposed.　The　dilution　efficiency　can　be　significantly　affected　by　the　intensity　of　vehicle　wake　and　turbulence.　Moreover,　the　dilution　efficiency　of　alternative　jet　fans　was　better　than　that　of　traditional　jet　fans.　©　2023　Elsevier　B.V.