SOME PRINCIPLES FOR COMMUNICATING WITH DRIVERS THROUGH THE USE OF VARIABLE-MESSAGE DISPLAYS

BEFORE PRINCIPLES, RULES, OR TENETS CAN BE DEVELOPED, THE EXPECTATIONS OF MOTORISTS NEED TO BE DETERMINED. IT MUST BE ASSERTAINED WHETHER MOTORISTS HAVE LEARNED THE MESSAGE CONTENT OF SIGNS AND RESPONDED WITH APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR. ACCORDING TO THE STUDIES CITED AND CURRENT RESEARCH, MOTORISTS TEND TO DISREGARD THE SIGNS IF THE SIGNS IF THE SIGNED INFORMATION BLENDS INTO THE BACKGROUND AND IF THE REGULATIONS OF CERTAIN TRAFFIC MOVEMENTS ARE IN CONFLICT WITH PERCEIVED TIME SAVINGS, RESPECTIVELY, A BRIEF DISCUSSION FOLLOWS ON (1) INTERPRETATION - STRESSES CONTINUITY OF EXISTING INFORMATION; (2) RELATABILITY - REFERS TO SIGNED REFERENCE TO THE ACTUAL GEOMETRIC AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, INCLUDING THE MAP REPRESENTATION OF SUCH CONDITIONS; (3) ADVANCE NOTICE - REFERS TO THE PLACEMENT OF DISPLAYS IN RELATION TO THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT; AND (4) PROMINENCE - CONCERNS SIGHT DISTANCE LIMITATIONS.

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr129/129-001.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309020530
• Supplemental Notes:
  • 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.
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board

  2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC    20418
• Authors:
  • Stephens, B W
• Conference:
  • Conference on the Changeable-Message Concept of Traffic Control
  • Date: 1971-7-15 to 1971-7-16
• Publication Date: 1972

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 2-6
• Monograph Title: THE CHANGEABLE-MESSAGE CONCEPT OF TRAFFIC CONTROL
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 129
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Communication; Drivers; Location; Reaction time; Variable message signs
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction; Interpretation; Relationships
• Old TRIS Terms: Communicating; Placement
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226385
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309020530
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 29 1973 12:00AM