MOTORIST UNDERSTANDING OF ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS FOR TRAFFIC SIGNS. FINAL REPORT

This report describes a series of evaluations in which ten traffic control devices were evaluated by a total of 978 participants. The traffic control devices evaluated in the project include one regulatory sign, six warning signs, and three other types of signs. The evaluations included four focus group meetings with a total of 19 participants evaluating ten devices, a driver survey with 747 participants evaluating nine devices, and a follow-up survey with 212 participants evaluating five devices. The four focus group evaluations utilized an open-ended question-and-answer format in which participants were allowed to freely discuss and illustrate their ideas. The driver survey and the follow-up survey utilized a multiple-choice question-and-answer format. This report also describes the findings of each of the evaluations conducted, based on age, gender, ethnicity, and education, as well as recommendations and implementation efforts for each of the ten traffic control devices evaluated. The primary recommendations include: retain the current standard for use, adopt the standard word message sign as the preferred sign over the standard symbol sign, adopt an alternative design which demonstrated an improved comprehension, and/or conduct additional evaluations to further study a particular device in more detail.

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Research study title: Assessment and Improvement of Motorist Understanding of Traffic Control Devices.
  • Corporate Authors:

    Texas Transportation Institute

    Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
    Arlington, TX  United States  76011

    Texas Department of Transportation

    Research and Technology Transfer Office, P.O. Box 5051
    Austin, TX  United States  78763-5051

    Federal Highway Administration

    1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Authors:
    • Picha, D L
    • Hawkins Jr, H G
    • Womack, K N
  • Publication Date: 1995-11

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 204 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00724976
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/TX-96/1261-5F, Res Rept 1261-5F, TTI: 0-1261
  • Contract Numbers: Study 0-1261
  • Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Aug 27 1996 12:00AM