Using Driving Simulator for Advance Placement of Guide Sign Design for Exits along Highways

One of the most important and effective ways to smoothly guide outlander drivers is the advance placement of guide signs. The current MUTCD provides general guidelines in deploying guide signs but does not give a methodology to determine the advance placement distance of the guide signs taking important variables into consideration. This paper proposes an operational procedure using driving simulator to estimate the advance placement distance for guide signing. A probability-based model to describe the traffic flow around the subject vehicle has been employed, while its parameters are calibrated based on the field data. The ambient vehicles are coded accordingly in the driving simulator through different simulation scenarios. Test participants are exposed to different traffic conditions and advance placements of signs. The experimental design focuses on investigating different lane positions of the subjects, lane-changing behaviors, and traffic flow rates that affect the placement of the sign. The participants are asked to complete the test questionnaires, and the results are recorded in two categories: (1) subject responses to the effectiveness of the advance placement, and (2) objective records of driver’s choices at exits. These data are further analyzed with various combinations of independent and dependent variables designed. Based on the analytical results, the optimal advance placement of signs is recommended that considers the drivers’ various behaviors and their physical location on roadway.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Advanced Driving Simulator

  University of Iowa, 2401 Oakdale Boulevard
  Iowa City, IA  United States  52242-5003
• Authors:
  • Qiao, Fengxiang
  • Liu, Xiaoyue
  • Yu, Lei
• Conference:
  • Driving Simulation Conference, North America 2007 (DSC-NA 2007)
  • Location: Iowa City IA, United States
  • Date: 2007-9-12 to 2007-9-14
• Publication Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 9p
• Monograph Title: Driving Simulation Conference, North America 2007

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Driving simulators; Guide signs; Lane changing; Location; Off ramps; Traffic control devices; Travel behavior
• Identifier Terms: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01139733
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 18 2009 7:07AM