RELATIVE VISIBILITY OF INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY ILLUMINATED ON-PREMISE SIGNS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative performance of internally and externally illuminated on-premises signs. To do this, the performance of six signs that differed in mode of illumination, text and background colors, and contrast orientation (i.e., light letters on a darker background and dark letters on a lighter background) was evaluated. These signs were field tested with older and younger motorists in both daytime and night conditions. The two measures of effectiveness were sign recognition distance and legibility distance. Based on the results, the distance at which drivers can begin to read a sign's message as a function of the type of illumination was calculated. These distances were then converted to time at various approach speeds to determine the amount of time that motorists will have to read the sign content. Results showed that the internally illuminated signs provided significantly longer visibility distances and longer available reading times than externally illuminated signs.

• Record URL:
  http://freemansigns.com/uploads/USSC_Relative_Visibility__Internal__External_On-Premise_Signs.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Pennsylvania State University, University Park

  Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, Transportation Research Building
  University Park, PA  United States  16802

  United States Sign Council

  211 Radcliffe Street
  Bristol, PA  United States  19007-5013

  Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center

  Pennsylvania State University
  201 Transportation Research Building
  University Park, PA  United States  16802-4710

  Research and Special Programs Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Garvey, P M
  • Ramaswamy, C
  • Ghebrial, R
  • De la Riva, M
  • Pietrucha, M T
• Publication Date: 2004-2-24

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 21 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged drivers; Color; Contrast; Daylight; Field tests; Legibility; Measures of effectiveness; Night; Reading; Signs; Teenage drivers; Visibility distance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Externally illuminated signs; Internally illuminated signs; On-premises signs; Recognition distance
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00974224
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: PTI 2004-11,, Final Report
• Files: UTC, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 18 2004 12:00AM