00799030

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/1708-01

https://doi.org/10.3141/1708-04

http://scholar.google.com...icha&publication_year=2000

Teenage drivers are involved in traffic crashes more often than any other driver group, and their fundamental knowledge of traffic control devices and rules of the road is extremely important in safe driving. Only limited data exist, however, on teenage drivers' understanding of traffic control devices, and little research has been done on determining their comprehension thereof. Research was performed to document teenage drivers' ability to understand 53 traffic control devices. These traffic control devices included 6 combinations of sign shape and color; 8 regulatory signs; 14 warning signs; 7 school, highway-railroad grade crossing, and construction warning signs; 7 pavement markings; and 11 traffic signals. Research results were then compared with previous comprehension studies to identify specific traffic control devices that the driving public continually misunderstands. In general, the results indicated that surveyed teenage drivers understood the traffic control devices to some degree. Only nine devices were understood by more than 80% of the respondents. The devices found problematic to teenage drivers include combinations of sign shape and color, warning-symbol signs, white pavement markings, flashing intersection beacons, and circular red/green arrow left-turn-signal displays. Recommendations include revising states' drivers handbooks and increasing emphasis in the driver education curriculum to clarify the meaning and intent of problematic traffic control devices.

This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1708, Traffic Control Devices, Visibility, and Rail-Highway Grade Crossings 2000.

English

p. 1-11

2000

Transportation Research Record

0309066875

References (9) ; Tables (5)

Arrows (Signals); Comprehension; Driver education; Flashing traffic signals; Handbooks; Recommendations; Regulatory signs; Road markings; Teenage drivers; Traffic control devices; Traffic signals; Traffic signs; Warning signs

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Research; I73: Traffic Control

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Sep 27 2000 12:00AM

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• AUTOMATED-HORN WARNING SYSTEM FOR HIGHWAY-RAILROAD GRADE CROSSINGS: EVALUATION AT THREE CROSSINGS IN AMES, IOWA
• COLOR NIGHT VISION FOR NAVIGATION AND SURVEILLANCE
• COMPUTER-BASED MODELING TO DETERMINE THE VISIBILITY AND MINIMUM RETROREFLECTIVITY OF PAVEMENT MARKINGS
• IMPLEMENTATION OF WIDER LANE LINES TO IMPROVE SIGHT DISTANCE FROM OPPOSING LEFT-TURN LANES
• PRIORITIZING TRAFFIC-CALMING PROJECTS USING THE ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS
• SETTING SPEED LIMITS ON KANSAS TWO-LANE HIGHWAYS: NEURONET APPROACH
• TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PROTECTED/PERMITTED LEFT-TURN SIGNAL DISPLAYS