WHITE IS BETTER: WHITE VS YELLOW CENTER LINES

THE INCREASE USE OF YELLOW MARKINGS ON HIGHWAYS HAS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THE VERY REAL DEFICIENCIES OF STANDARD "HIGHWAY YELLOW" AS A VISIBLE WARNING DEVICE. THE NORMAL HUMAN EYE DOES NOT PERCEIVE YELLOW AS QUICKLY AS IT DOES WHITE BECAUSE OF ITS LOW REFLECTANCE, WHICH IS DERIVED FROM LOW REFRACTIVE INDEX AND IS COMPOUNDED BY POOR COLOR STABILITY TO BOTH LIGHT AND SULFIDE FUMES. THE NORMAL DARK-ADAPTED HUMAN EYE SEES EVEN LESS UNDER CRITICAL TWILIGHT CONDITIONS. THE ABNORMAL HUMAN EYE, DUE EITHER TO CONGENITAL DEFECTS, OR TO THOSE IMPARTED BY DISEASE OR BY THE USE OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO OR DRUGS, MAY NOT PERCEIVE YELLOW AS A COLOR AT ALL. THE USE OF PATTERN INSTEAD OF COLOR IS RECOMMENDED. /AUTHOR/

• Authors:
  • Stieg, F B
• Publication Date: 1972-5

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 26-30
• Serial:
  • Traffic Engineering, Inst Traffic Engr
  • Volume: 42
  • Issue Number: 8

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Color; Color vision; Highway safety; Reflectivity; Road markings; Traffic paint; Warning signs; Whites; Yellow
• Uncontrolled Terms: Patterns; Reflectance
• Old TRIS Terms: Traffic marking
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00217216
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 28 1972 12:00AM