ADVISORY SPEED SIGNS AND CURVE SIGNS AND THEIR EFFECT ON DRIVER EYE SCANNING AND DRIVING PERFORMANCE

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of advisory speed signs used in conjunction with curve warning signs in Ohio. A total or 40 test drivers were used to drive an unfamiliar test route on a two-lane rural road that included two typical curves equipped with curve warning signs. Curve A was a left curve with a determined advisory speed of 40 mph and Curve C was a right curve with a determined advisory speed of 25 mph. The results of the test-driver study indicate that drivers, on the average, look about two times at a warning sign (fixation duration 0.5 to 0.6 sec). There are few consistent statistically significant differences in driver eye-scanning behavior and driver control behavior (velocity, lateral acceleration, gas pedal deflection, lane position, brake activation) between Run 1 and Run 2, between inexperienced and experienced drivers, between the presence and absence of advisory speed signs, and between day and night. The daytime velocities are in general somewhat higher than the nighttime velocities. It may be concluded that advisory speed signs are not more effective in causing drivers to reduce their speeds through curves than curve and turn signs alone. It appears that the bent black arrow in the yellow diamond of the curve or turn warning sign represents such a strong and primary visual stimulus that an advisory speed sign adds very little additional information for the driver. Therefore, it is recommended that advisory speed sign maintenance and especially new installations be given a low priority.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1987/1111/1111-013.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=ADVISORY+SPEED+SIGNS+AND+CURVE+SIGNS+AND+THEIR+EFFECT+ON+DRIVER+EYE+SCANNING+AND+DRIVING+PERFORMANCE&author=H.+Zwahlen&publication_year=1987
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Vehicle User Characteristics. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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• Authors:
  • Zwahlen, Helmut T
• Publication Date: 1987

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 110-120
• Monograph Title: TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ANALYSIS, VISIBILITY FACTORS, AND MOTORIST INFORMATION NEEDS
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1111
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Days; Driver performance; Drivers; Eye fixations; Highway curves; Measures of effectiveness; Night; Personnel performance; Rural highways; Speed limits; Speed signs; Testing; Traffic signs; Warning signs
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness
• Old TRIS Terms: Advisory speed signs
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00464602
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0-309-04463-4
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 31 1987 12:00AM