DRIVER DECISION MAKING AND HIGHWAY SIGNING
SINCE THERE ARE MANY SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN THE DRIVER'S ENVIRONMENT, AND MANY THINGS FOR HIM TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT, THE TIME AVAILABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS OF ONE SORT WILL BE LIMITED BY COMPETING DEMANDS. THE CHANCE OF OVERLOAD IS HIGH. THE MOST LIKELY REACTION TO OVERLOAD, TO NOT HAVING SUFFICIENT INFORMATION OR TIME TO PROCESS IT, IS TO SLOW OR STOP THE TASK. ON THE ROAD IT IS TO STOP OR SLOW AT OR NEAR DECISION POINTS. THIS BEHAVIOR, IN TURN, INCREASES THE UNCERTAINTY OF OTHER DRIVERS, INCREASING THEIR LOAD AND THE RISK OF ACCIDENT. EACH BIT OF ROADWAY IS UNIQUE AND PRESENTS ITS OWN SPECIAL PROBLEMS FOR THE DRIVER. FURTHER, THE USES OF ROADS AND THE DESTINATIONS OF DRIVERS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGES WITH TIME AS POPULATION GROWS AND AS AREAS CHANGE IN CHARACTER AND USE. THESE FACTS POINT TO THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF A COMPLETELY SATISFACTORY A PRIORI BASIS FOR SIGNING. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT (1) THERE IS A CONTINUING NEED FOR RESEARCH INTO DRIVER REACTIONS TO SIGNING AND DRIVER INFORMATION NEEDS AS DETERMINED IN ACTUAL DRIVING OR IN SIMULATORS, AND (2) SIGNING ON A ROADWAY SHOULD BE EVOLUTIONARY, SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN THE LIGHT OF A CONTINUING PROGRAM OF EVALUATION. /AUTHOR/
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Supplemental Notes:
- pp 74-81, FIGS, REFS
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Corporate Authors:
University of Arizona, Tucson
Transportation and Traffic Institute
Tucson, AZ United States 85721 -
Authors:
- Ferrell, W R
- Conference:
- Publication Date: 1971
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Decision making; Driver performance; Drivers; Freeways; Future; Guide signs; Personnel performance; Reaction time; Research; Signals; Signs; Traffic signs; Warning signs
- Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction; Future research
- Old TRIS Terms: Freeway signs
- Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Research;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00226268
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Apr 17 1972 12:00AM