COMPARISON OF TYPEFACES FOR DIRECTION SIGNS

JAEMFOERELSE AV TYPSNITT FOER LOKALISERINGSMAERKEN FOER VAEGVISNING

The study compares six typefaces for road signs. These are the typeface designed by Strab, three other Swedish typefaces, a Danish typeface and a British typeface. All the typefaces are upper-lower-case except one of the Swedish which consists exclusively of upper-case letters. The aim of the study was to compare the two types of readability, reading and recognition, of the typefaces in daylight. Readability in vehicle lighting (low beam) has also been studied. The experiment is divided into four parts: (1) Reading of unknown names; (2) Recognition of known names; (3) Ranking of typefaces by readability; and (4) Ranking of typefaces by readability in dipped beam. Part 1 indicates that the Strab typeface and Swedish upper-case letters are significantly better than or equivalent to the other four typefaces. British and SIS typefaces require a shorter or equal reading distance compared to the other typefaces. Swedish upper-lower-case typeface and the Danish typeface are on an intermediate level. Part 2, Recognition, showed no significant difference between the typefaces. If there is any effect, it is probably small. In both Part 3 and Part 4, strong ranking was found. The average order in which the test persons placed the typefaces was, from better to worse: Swedish upper-case, Strab, Danish, Swedish upper-lower-case, British, SIS. The conclusion is that the Strab typeface and Swedish upper-case letters are the best two typefaces concerning readability. However, it is difficult to make a distinction between these.(A)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03476049
• Corporate Authors:

  Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

  Linköping,   Sweden  SE-581 95
• Authors:
  • HERLAND, L
  • Helmers, G
• Publication Date: 1997

Language

• Swedish

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 28 p.
• Serial:
  • VTI meddelande
  • Issue Number: 818
  • Publisher: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
  • ISSN: 0347-6049

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Daylight; Design; Driver information systems; Lettering; Night; Perception; Traffic signs
• ITRD Terms: 9008: Daylight; 9011: Design (overall design); 541: Lettering; 9052: Night; 2229: Perception; 553: Traffic sign
• Subject Areas: Design; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00750626
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jul 31 1998 12:00AM