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Title: EFFECTS OF CHEVRONS, POST-MOUNTED DELINEATORS, AND RAISED PAVEMENT MARKERS ON DRIVER BEHAVIOR AT ROADWAY CURVES
Accession Number: 00467849
Record Type: Component
Availability: Find a library where document is available Abstract: Previous research has shown that in single-vehicle crashes drivers tend to run off the road in the direction opposite the curve; that is, they miss the curve. Examined in this study are the short- and long-term effects of commonly used curve delineation treatments on the speed and placement of vehicles traveling on curves on rural two-lane highways in Georgia (46 sites) and New Mexico (5 sites). Vehicle speed and placement distributions at sites modified with the addition of chevrons, post-mounted delineators, and raised pavement markers and unmodified control sites were compared in terms of 10th percentile, 90th percentile, mean values, and standard deviations before and after modification. The modifications tended to shift the nighttime speed distributions upward, with an average speed increase of 1 to 3 ft/sec; however, in Georgia, chevrons had little effect on speed. Overall, when chevron signs were used at night, vehicles moved away from the centerline; they moved farther away when raised pavement markers were used. In contrast, when post-mounted delinetors were used, vehicles moved toward the centerline. Vehicle speed and placement variability were also slightly reduced with the use of chevrons and raised pavement markers. There was little change in the typical driver curve-following behaviors of corner cutting on curve lengthening. Few of the changes varied systemically by curve alignment or grade, and there was little evidence that short-term changes eroded over time. Although drivers did change their behvaior in response to the delineation modifications, there was no clear evidence that any one of the devices is superior to the others. The primary benefit of clearly delineating curves may simply be that it helps drivers better recognize that they are approaching a curve.
Supplemental Notes: 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
Monograph Title: Monograph Accession #: 01418073
Authors: Zador, PaulStein, Howard SWright, PaulHall, JeromePagination: pp 1-10
Publication Date: 1987
Serial: ISBN: 0309044669
Media Type: Print
Features: Figures
(6)
; References
(29)
; Tables
(3)
TRT Terms: Uncontrolled Terms: Old TRIS Terms: Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control
Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
Created Date: Mar 31 1988 12:00AM
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