United States Department of Transportation
i
Impacts of Using Dynamic Features to Display Messages on Changeable Message Signs
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2005-08-01
[PDF-584.21 KB]
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Abstract:The objective of the research effort documented in this report was to conduct human factors driving simulator studies to determine the effects on motorists of the following three types of changeable message sign (CMS) dynamic display features: 1) flashing an entire one-phase message; 2) flashing one line of a one-phase message; and 3) alternating text on one line of a three-line CMS while keeping the other two lines of text constant on the second phase of the message thus displaying redundant information. Guidelines emanating from this research and recommendations for changes/additions to the existing sections of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices are documented in the White Paper that was prepared in response to Task 6. Sixty-four subjects from the Bryan–College Station, Texas area participated in a driving simulator study. The measures of effectiveness were reading times, comprehension, and preference. In addition, driver performance measures of effectiveness were acceleration noise (an indication of the number and degree of speed changes), average lane position, standard deviation of lane position, average distance headway, and standard deviation of distance headway. Average reading times for flashing messages were not higher than for static messages. However, the results indicate that flashing messages may have an adverse effect on message comprehension for unfamiliar drivers. Average reading times for flashing line messages and two-phase messages with alternating lines were significantly longer than the alternative messages. In addition, message comprehension was negatively affected by flashing line messages.
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Content Notes:Thomas Granda, FHWA Human-Center Systems Team, Office of Safety Research and Development, Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR). Performed through the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
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