Evaluation Of Driver Response To Safety Messages On Dynamic Message Signs
Download Evaluation Of Driver Response To Safety Messages On Dynamic Message Signs full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online free Evaluation Of Driver Response To Safety Messages On Dynamic Message Signs ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!
| Author | : Nusayba Binti Megat Johari |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 0 |
| Release | : 2022 |
| Genre | : Electronic dissertations |
| ISBN | : |
Between 2010 and 2020, many transportation agencies began displaying safety messages and crash facts to the traveling public using roadside dynamic message signs (DMS). The content of these messages varies from annual crash and fatality statistics to more detailed messages regarding specific driving behaviors or risk factors. Despite the widespread use of DMS for safety messaging purposes, evaluations of potential impacts on driver behavior and resultant impacts on traffic safety have been limited. This research addresses this gap through a series of investigations to determine the degree to which the use of DMS for safety messages impacts various aspects of driver behavior. Driver behavior was examined in response to different DMS messages while considering critical contextual factors, such as the type of messages displayed, traffic flow conditions, and roadway geometric characteristics. The first set of field evaluations examined driver behavior as vehicles approached in-service emergency and MDOT service vehicles parked on the roadway shoulder in consideration of the state's move-over law. Compliance was measured in terms of speed reduction and lane selection and comparisons were made based upon a series of targeted messages displayed on upstream DMS. Logistic regression models were estimated to assess driver compliance with the law while considering important contextual factors, such as the type of vehicle on the shoulder and the message displayed on the DMS. The results indicate that drivers were more likely to move over or reduce their speeds when a police car was parked on the shoulder as compared to a transportation agency pickup truck. In general, the type of message displayed had minimal impact on driver behavior. The one exception showed that drivers were less likely to exceed the speed limit when targeted move over messages were shown as compared to standard travel time messages. For all message types, both speed and lane compliance were improved if the roadside vehicle was a police car. The second study examined cell phone use rates in consideration of enforcement activities that were conducted in conjunction with the display of targeted safety messages on roadside DMS. The results showed that cell phone use rates were lower during and, particularly, after the enforcement activities were conducted. Use rates were also found to vary based on age, gender, and race, allowing for the identification of target groups for public awareness and outreach campaigns. Cell phone use rates were also lower at freeway exit ramps compared to signalized and stop-controlled surface street intersections. Furthermore, cell phone-specific safety messages were associated with lower use rates than other message types.Ultimately, the findings largely reinforce federal guidance on the use of DMS for secondary purposes, which include displaying road safety messages. As a stand-alone measure, DMS provide marginal impacts on driver behavior. Such messaging strategies are likely to be more effective when used as a part of active safety campaigns with a limited duration as compared to more frequent and continuous display of generic message types. The outcome of the field investigations also shows that combining targeted messaging with the presence of enforcement results in the most substantive improvements in driver behavior.
| Author | : Jeremy L. Schroeder |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 28 |
| Release | : 2010 |
| Genre | : Variable message signs |
| ISBN | : |
Dynamic message signs (DMS) are used in conjunction with other media to communicate traffic conditions, general information, and recommended diversion strategies to motorists. Previous studies using loop detector data to estimate diversion rates attributable to advisory messages on DMS have found that diversion is minimal when vague messages are displayed or a distant alternate route is the only option. For motorists traveling on I-95 through Richmond in the Virginia Department of Transportation's Central Region, however, when DMS alert motorists of incidents, I-295 serves as a comparable alternate route, adding no significant travel time to through trips. This scenario provides the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of DMS in traffic diversion without the major concerns of added trip time and the quality of the route. This study investigated the impacts of existing message strategies to determine messages that maximize diversion for specific circumstances and to develop new messages for future deployment. An analysis was done for various message types and split into two diversion scenarios: (1) an incident on the primary freeway, I-95, encourages diversion of I-95 traffic to an alternate route, I-295; and (2) an incident on an intersecting freeway, I-295, encourages exiting I-295 traffic to remain on I-95 as an alternate route. The results showed trends where the use of particular words in messages is more effective than the use of others in achieving diversion when percentage of diverted traffic was used as the performance measure. The effects on traffic flow by drivers' reactions to non-traffic messages were also investigated. Transportation agencies are frequently asked to post public service announcements on DMS when they are not being used for traffic-related purposes. It has been suggested that these messages are a distraction to drivers and result in queuing, creating mobility and safety hazards. An analysis that used speed as the performance measure showed minimal impacts on traffic flow from the display of non-traffic messages during weekday non-peak hours. The study recommends that (1) travel time estimates for both the primary and alternate routes or the length or time of the delay be provided on DMS; (2) specific wording, as noted in the text, be used to induce diversion or simply to provide information; (3) messages be displayed in "title case" instead of "ALL CAPS" (i.e., all letters in a word are capitalized) for low-frequency messages; and (4) left-justified or "staircase" messages be used. Further, non-traffic messages should be one-phase messages and should be displayed only during non-peak periods to minimize the potential for queuing. If the recommendations of this research are implemented, the enhanced effectiveness of diversion strategies will result in reductions of delay, fuel consumption, and emissions, as well as the potential for secondary accidents created by major incidents and other traffic flow disruptions. In 2007, the cost of delay for motorists in Richmond, Virginia, resulting from incidents was estimated at $119 million. A modest 1 percent reduction in this cost attributable to better diversion strategies that use DMS more effectively would result in an annual cost savings to VDOT of more than $1 million.
| Author | : Tripp Shealy |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 57 |
| Release | : 2020 |
| Genre | : |
| ISBN | : |
| Author | : Jeremy L. Schroeder |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 202 |
| Release | : 2009 |
| Genre | : |
| ISBN | : |
| Author | : Alexandra Kondyli |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 52 |
| Release | : 2021 |
| Genre | : |
| ISBN | : |
This research used a fixed-base driving simulator to determine the effects of dynamic message signs (DMSs) on driver behavior. A DMS notifies drivers with safety, weather, incident, or traffic condition messages. Recently, however, state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) display safety messages with entertaining content. The Kansas DOT (KDOT) wanted to assess how these entertaining messages affect driving behavior. Therefore, this research evaluated the effect of DMS content on driver behavior using a combination of surveys and driver behavior data obtained from a fixed-base driving simulator. Existing literature was reviewed to determine similar studies. Based on the literature, which included results of DMS modeling in driving simulators and DMS effects on driver behavior, a research methodology was developed. One hundred participants were recruited and screened using an online survey questionnaire that included messages currently displayed on DMS; feedback on their perceived effectiveness was requested. The second data collection was done via a driving simulator experiment. The simulator was prepared for the study, the DMS was set, and events were designed to capture changes in driver behavior and awareness. A total of 60 participants with diverse demographics drove by several DMSs that displayed a variety of messages. Participants completed a survey at the end of the experiment, and their responses were compared to responses of the online survey. Behavioral data (speeds, accelerations, gazes, etc.) were then reduced, and statistical analyses were performed, including hypothesis testing and analysis of variance, to evaluate to what extent the message content affected driver behavior. The study identified potential messages that were found to effectively affect driver behavior.
| Author | : Louisiana Transportation Research Center |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 17 |
| Release | : 2018 |
| Genre | : Civil engineering |
| ISBN | : |
This technical assistance report investigated the existing state of practice across the nation for placing safety campaign messages on dynamic message signs (DMS) and reviewed relevant studies that documented any evidence of effectiveness in influencing driver behavior and providing a public safety benefit. The number of state transportation agencies posting safety messages on DMS has increased over the last few years and messages are typically focused on common dangerous behaviors such as drowsiness, distractions, aggression, alcohol or drug impairment, and unrestrained driving. Several states have started to display their state-specific number of traffic fatalities year-to-date on DMS. Several studies showed that there could be changes in driver behavior by posting safety messages on DMS; some also included small samples of traffic data analysis, which showed some speed changes when the drivers approached active DMS. Overall, the findings from this report support the use of DMS to disseminate highway safety messages. However, more research is needed to validate the perceptions noted in the surveys and more field studies are necessary to confirm long-term impacts of using DMS to convey safety messages about driver behavior and traffic safety.
| Author | : Megat Usamah Bin Megat Johari |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 0 |
| Release | : 2022 |
| Genre | : Electronic dissertations |
| ISBN | : |
Fatal crashes have been increasing, both in Michigan and across the United States, despite continuing improvements in roadway design, vehicle safety, and other areas. Various factors may have contributed to this trend, including increased in-vehicle distractions, higher speed limits, legalization of marijuana, and other factors. Studies have suggested that driver error is a critical reason associated with more than 90 percent of all traffic crashes. Driver behavior can be improved by several engineering strategies, such as the use of better and more efficient traffic control devices, such as signs, signals, and pavement markings. To that end, this research assesses the operational and safety impacts of a series of traffic control devices.The use of dynamic message signs (DMS) as a medium to display safety messages to drivers has become popular among transportation agencies. Despite their widespread use, evaluations as to the resultant impacts on traffic crashes have been very limited. This study addresses this gap in the extant literature and assesses the relationship between traffic crashes and the frequency with which various types of safety messages are displayed. A series of count models are estimated to examine total, speeding-related, and nighttime crashes based upon historical messaging data while controlling for other site-specific factors. Ultimately the results provide important insights regarding messaging strategies for transportation agencies. This research also evaluates driver response to advisory speed signs. Posted speed limit signs are used to inform drivers of the legal maximum allowable speed. In contrast, advisory speed signs provide recommendations to drivers as to safe travel speeds at specific roadway locations. Various studies have investigated the safety impacts of speed limit changes, particularly on high-speed rural highways. One area of particular concern on such roadways is the approach to exit ramps that require substantive speed reductions, such as loop ramps. To date, there has been limited research examining the safety impact of the differential between the mainline speed limit and the lower exit ramp advisory speeds. This study addresses this gap through the estimation of a series of safety performance functions. The findings from this study show the safety of these locations is related to speed differential, as well as other factors such as the length of the upstream deceleration lane. These factors should be considered when considering speed limit policy impacts in the vicinity of full and partial cloverleaf interchanges.Lastly, this study assesses the use of dynamic speed feedback sign (DSFS) as a means to reduce vehicle speeds in speed transition zones, where speeds are reduced as drivers enter rural communities. DSFS have been evaluated in several settings, including high-speed exit ramps and horizontal curves. However, research is limited as to the effectiveness of this sign for other purposes, such as these high-speed transition areas. This is particularly important as the limits on some of these roadways have recently been increased, making speed control a particular concern. This study addresses this gap through a before-and-after evaluation of DSFS at five different sites in northern Michigan. A series of speed models were estimated, which provide insights on the effectiveness of DSFS.
| Author | : Jyh-Hone Wang |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 132 |
| Release | : 2005 |
| Genre | : Automobile drivers |
| ISBN | : |
| Author | : Jeremy Schroeder |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 144 |
| Release | : 2016 |
| Genre | : Human information processing |
| ISBN | : |
The objective of this project was to assess the effectiveness and potential benefits of posting public service announcements (PSAs) in rural areas by surveying a variety of travelers in those areas, including local residents, tourists, and long-haul truck drivers. This project addressed a number of questions related to safety awareness and PSA messages on dynamic message signs (DMS), including: driver awareness, driver understanding, changes in driver behavior, and drivers' opinions. Study findings provide an understanding of the usefulness and effectiveness of using DMS for safety and PSA campaigns, providing a basis for recommendations to influence and/or improve agencies'; guidelines, policies and operations on using DMS as a tool for safety and public service campaigns.
| Author | : Cristina Dos Santos |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : 406 |
| Release | : 2007 |
| Genre | : Automobile driving simulators |
| ISBN | : |
Researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF) have been working during the past few years on different strategies to improve freeway safety in real-time. An ongoing research at UCF has investigated crash patterns that occurred on a stretch of Interstate-4 located in Orlando, FL and created statistical models to predict in real-time the likelihood of a crash in terms of time and space. The models were then tested using PARAMICS micro-simulation and different strategies that would reduce the risk of crashes were suggested. One of the main recommended strategies was the use of Variable Speed Limits (VSL) which intervenes by reducing the speed upstream the segment of high risk and increasing the speed downstream. The purpose of this study is to examine the recommendations reached by the micro-simulation using the UCF driving simulator. Drivers' speed behavior in response to changes in speed limits and different information messages are observed. Different scenarios that represent the recommendations from the earlier micro-simulation study and three different messages displayed using Variable Message Signs (VMS) as an added measure to advice drivers about changes in the speed limit were created. In addition, abrupt and gradual changes in speed were tested against the scenarios that maintained the speed limit constant or did include a VSL or VMS in the scenarios' design (base case). Dynamic congestion was also added to the scenarios' design to observe drivers' reactions and speed reductions once drivers approached congestion. A total of 85 subjects were recruited. Gender and age were the controlling variables for the subjects' recruitment. Each of the subjects drove 3 out of a total of 24 scenarios. In addition, a survey was conducted and involved hypothetical questions, including knowledge about VMS and VSL, and questions about their driving behavior. The survey data were useful in identifying the subjects' compliance with the speed limit and VSL/VMS acceptance. Two statistical analytical techniques were performed on the data that were collected from the simulator: ANOVA and PROC MIXED. The ANOVA test was used to investigate if the differences in speed and reaction distances between subjects were statistically significant for each sign compared to the base case. The PROC MIXED analysis was used to investigate the differences of all scenarios (24x24) based on the spot speed data collected for each driver. It was found from the analyses that drivers follow better the message displayed on VMS that informs them that the speed is changing, whether it is or not, strictly enforced as opposed to providing the reason for change or no information. Moreover, an abrupt change in speed produced immediate results; however both abrupt and gradual changes in speed produced the same reduction in speed at the target zone. It was also noticed that most drivers usually drive 5 mph above the speed limit, even though in the survey analysis the majority of them stated that they drive in compliance with the speed limit or with the flow of traffic. This means that if a modest speed reduction of 5 mph is requested they will ignore it, but if a 10 mph reduction is recommended they will reduce the speed by at least 5 mph. Consequently, it was noticed that drivers arrived at the congestion zone with a slower speed than the base speed limit due to the combination of VMS and VSL signage. By having drivers approaching congestion with a slower speed, potential rear-end crashes could be avoided. Comparing the two genders indicated that females are more likely to follow the VMS's recommendations to reduce the speed. Also females in general drive above the speed limit between 2 mph and 3 mph, while males drive above the speed limit between 5 mph and 8 mph. From the analysis of the age factor, it was concluded that drivers from the 16-19 age group drive faster and drivers from the 45 and above age group drive slower, than the drivers from the other groups. In general, all drivers reduced and/or increased their speed accordingly when a VMS and/or VSL was present in the scenario advising for this change in the speed limit. The investigations conducted for this thesis proved that the recommendations suggested previously based on the crash risk model and micro-simulation (Abdel-Aty et al., 2006) aid drivers in reducing their speed before they approach a segment of high risk and by doing so reduce the likelihood of a crash. Finally, the real-time safety benefits of VMS and VSL should be continuously evaluated in future studies.
