PERCEPTUAL COUNTERMEASURES: EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

Perceptual Countermeasures to speeding (PCMs) are relatively low cost, non-obtrusive road markings usually involving only paint, gravel, or both. They are designed to reduce travel speeds through influencing speed perception, mental workload, risk perception, and/or driver comfort. The aim of the present project was to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of a representative range of PCMs using the driving simulator at MUARC. Six experiments were conducted on the simulator, each involving 24 to 36 participants with full driving licenses. Participants drove on a number of simulated roads containing various PCM treatments as well as others acting as control roads. Treatments evaluated on the approach to an intersection included transverse lines, peripheral transverse lines, a herringbone pattern, the Wundt illusion, and trees on the road edge. On roads involving continuous driving, PCMs evaluated included narrow "perceptual" lane widths, painted hatched medians, gravel medians, painted checkered edgelines, and low visual contrast gravel edgelines. Several curve enhancement treatments were also evaluated, including inside hatching, centreline hatching, and novel reflector post positioning. Several of the PCMs evaluated were concluded to be effective at reducing travel speeds, including: full lane width and peripheral transverse lines; a hatched median (especially with a narrow perceptual lane width), with or without intermittent gravel edgelines; and enhanced reflector post spacings.

• Record URL:
  http://www.monash.edu.au/miri/research/reports/atsb182.pdf
• 
• Summary URL:
  http://www.monash.edu.au/miri/research/reports/atsb182.html
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0642255555
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Also available from Roads and Traffic Authority, New South Wales. Project Officers: John Goldsworthy, James Holgate
• Corporate Authors:

  Monash University

  Accident Research Centre
  Building 70
  Clayton, Victoria  Australia  3800

  Roads and Traffic Authority NSW

  PO Box K198
  HAYMARKET NSW 1238,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • GODLEY, S
  • Fildes, B
  • TRIGGS, T
  • Brown, L
• Publication Date: 1999-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 84 p.
• Serial:
  • Road Safety Research Report
  • Publisher: Australian Transport Safety Bureau
  • ISSN: 1445-4467

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Approach; Countermeasures; Edge lines; Experiments; Highway curves; Highway safety; Intersections; Medians; Perception; Posts; Reflectorized paint; Research; Road markings; Simulation; Speeding; Traffic lanes; Traffic safety; Trees; Width
• Uncontrolled Terms: Curve enhancements; Herringbone; Transverse lines; Wundt
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00790543
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0642255555
• Report/Paper Numbers: CR 182
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 18 2000 12:00AM