00755016

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/1628-03

http://scholar.google.com...opez&publication_year=1998

The Mexican border areas of Texas possess many unique characteristics that are not present in other parts of the state. One of the most obvious is the prevalence of Spanish as the primary language. Another characteristic is the large number of drivers from Mexico. These two factors may limit the ability of the border area drivers to understand traffic control devices. The research study was conducted to determine how well drivers from Mexico understand 33 of the more significant traffic control devices used in the United States and Texas. The survey utilized flashcards with open-ended questions to assess comprehension levels. It was administered to northbound traffic with Mexican license plates at international bridges in two Texas border cities. Driver responses were recorded on audiotape and later separated into several categories, including "correct" and "partially correct". The analysis of the responses indicate that, of the 45 questions that were asked about the 33 traffic control devices, approximately half (23) had correct and partially correct response rates of over 80%. Approximately a third (15) had correct response rates of over 80%. Many of the devices with lower comprehension levels among Mexican drivers are the same devices that have lower comprehension levels among Texas drivers.

This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1628, Human Performance, User Information, and Highway Design.

English

p. 15-24

1998

Transportation Research Record

0309064732

Figures (3) ; References (11) ; Tables (4)

Color; Comprehension; Data collection; Drivers; International borders; Language; Metric system; Signs; Surveys; Symbols; Traffic control devices

Mexicans

Sign legend

Mexico; Texas-Mexico Border region

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I73: Traffic Control; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor

TRIS, TRB

Oct 9 1998 12:00AM

• AUTOMOBILES ON HORIZONTAL CURVES: EXPERIMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS
• DRIVER PERCEPTION-BRAKE RESPONSE IN STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE SITUATIONS
• DRIVERS' ATTITUDES, UNDERSTANDING, AND ACCEPTANCE OF PASSING LANES IN KANSAS
• EVALUATION OF PROTOTYPE HIGHWAY TOURIST SIGNS FOR ONTARIO
• EVALUATION RESULTS OF THREE PROTOTYPE AUTOMATIC TRUCK ROLLOVER WARNING SYSTEMS
• FATIGUE AND AUTOMATION-INDUCED IMPAIRMENTS IN SIMULATED DRIVING PERFORMANCE