00385228

Component

http://onlinepubs.trb.org...s/trr/1983/926/926-004.pdf

https://scholar.google.co...rter&publication_year=1983

Sign vandalism has become a costly and often deadly national problem. In addition to the millions of dollars in cost to replace vandalized signs, this situation denies motorists the critical information necessary for safe driving and increases the potential for severe traffic accidents. Nationally, the replacement costs for vandalized signs are startling--about $50 million annually in direct costs and indirect costs for injuries and tort liability claims of about the same magnitude. The accident statistics on fatalities, property damages, and personal injuries that result from vandalized or missing signs are frightening and point out the magnitude of the problem. Some jurisdictions have become alarmed at the increasing rate of sign vandalism and its adverse economic, social, and safety impacts. The nature, magnitude, and criticality of the sign vandalism problem requires a strong concerted effort at both the national and local levels to combat this costly and dangerous traffic safety problem. A grass roots approach is suggested for a full understanding of who vandalizes signs, why they do so, when and where sign vandalism is more pronounced, and the true consequences of this prankishness. Positive and problem-specific countermeasures (physical, legal, judicial and enforcement, and educational) that should be pursued at the national, state, and local levels are discussed in this paper. A systems approach framework for selecting countermeasures for local and problem-specific sign vandalism was developed and partly tested. This approach should be fully implemented. (Author)

Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Traffic Control Devices. 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

00391308

pp 15-24

1983

Transportation Research Record

0309036151

Print

Figures (13) ; Photos (8) ; References (17)

Costs; Countermeasures; Crashes; Fatalities; Hazards; Injuries; Liability; Loss and damage; Property; Risk assessment; Tort liability; Traffic crashes; Traffic signs; Vandalism

Accident costs; Increase; Property damage

Finance; Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor

TRIS, TRB

May 30 1984 12:00AM

• LOW-COST COUNTERMEASURES FOR AMELIORATING RUN-OFF-THE-ROAD CRASHES
• MOTORISTS' REACTION TO EXCLUSIVE--PERMISSIVE LEFT-TURN SIGNAL PHASING
• PUBLIC GOOD RELATIVE TO RIGHT-TURN-ON-RED IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND ALABAMA
• SAFETY EFFECTS OF RUMBLE STRIPS ON SECONDARY ROADS