EVALUATION OF SIGNING TO WARN OF WET WEATHER SKIDDING HAZARD

This field study examined driver responses to the potential skidding hazard of wet pavements subjected to high frictional driving demands. Study objectives were to examine motorists' general awareness of the hazard and to assess the relative effectiveness of various signing treatments that warn of the hazard. Measures of signing effectiveness were motorists speeds at critical curve locations and questionnaire responses' regarding motorists' observations and interpretations of the signs. Three curved highway sections were treated with five experimental signing conditions. Variations on the slippery when wet symbolic sign ranged from its use by itself to increasing levels of specificity and conspicuity to its use with flashing lights and an advisory speed limit. Experimental signing conditions incorporating flashing lights were effective at reducing highest quartile mean speeds below the critical safe wet pavement speed based on roadway geometry and surface conditions. Signs without flashing lights was not shown to be effective. Those questioned saw and properly interpreted the more conspicuous warning signs. Motorists' cues of potential hazard were observed to be roadway curvature and superelevation, behavior of other motorists, appearance of pavement surface, ambient conditions, known accident history of site, and presence of the warning sign. About 1 percent of the interviewed motorists cited the warning sign as their cue of potential skidding hazard.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1976/600/600-004.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=EVALUATION+OF+SIGNING+TO+WARN+OF+WET+WEATHER+SKIDDING+HAZARD&author=F.+Hanscom&publication_year=1976
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Motorist Information Systems.. 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.
• Authors:
  • Hanscom, Fred R
• Conference:
  • 55th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1976-1-19 to 1976-1-23
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 20-27
• Monograph Title: Motorist information systems and services
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 600
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Drivers; Evaluation; Flashing traffic signals; Measures of effectiveness; Pavements; Skidding; Warning signs; Wet weather
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness; Wet pavements
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00153129
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309025699
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 31 1977 12:00AM