Speed Pattern Analysis in the Proximity of Dynamic Message Signs Using a Driving Simulator

This study aims to find whether dynamic message signs (DMS) have an adverse effect on traffic flow and safety due to traffic slowdown to read the message. Drivers’ speed fluctuations in the proximity of two dynamic message signs with qualitative and quantitative contents on a highway and a freeway are analyzed. Over 100 subjects are recruited to drive on a fairly large and realistic road network developed in a driving simulator. No statistically significant reduction in the speed of the subjects to read the quantitative message in a highway with 55 mph (88.5 km/hr) speed limit was found. In correlation with the speed analysis, majority of the subjects believed their speed reduction was insignificant. However, the average speed decreased by 2.6 mph (4.3 km/hr) to read the quantitative message on a sign mounted on the 65 mph (105 km/hr) freeway. Although DMS accounted to likely impact the speed of fast drivers, they were found to safely operate as traffic management tools.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHB20 Freeway Operations.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Spell, Brittany A
  • Ardeshiri, Anam
  • 0000-0002-2497-3443
  • Jeihani, Mansoureh
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC
  • Date: 2014-1-12 to 2014-1-16
• Date: 2014

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 10p
• Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Distraction; Driver performance; Driving simulators; Traffic safety; Traffic speed; Variable message signs
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01519457
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 14-5486
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 25 2014 2:25PM