Closed-Course Study to Assess the Conspicuity of Wrong-Way Driving Countermeasures

Abstract

Alcohol has been found to be the primary contributing factor in many wrong-way crash studies. Thus, Texas A&M Transportation Institute researchers conducted a night-time closed-course study to assess the conspicuity of select signing and pavement marking wrong-way driving countermeasures from the perspective of alcohol-impaired drivers. Lowering the sign height, making the sign larger (i.e., oversized), adding red retroreflective material to the sign support, or adding flashing red light-emitting diodes around the border of the sign did not improve the ability of the alcohol-impaired drivers to locate WRONG WAY signs in a search task. However, in post-task assessments it was the opinion of the participants that the oversized sign, red retroreflective material, and flashing lights made it easier to find the WRONG WAY sign. The participants also thought that these three countermeasures caught their attention more than the standard size WRONG WAY sign mounted at 7 ft. Researchers did not find a significant difference in the recognition time between standard and modified wrong-way arrow marking designs. The modified arrow had a narrower head that provided equivalent recognition while potentially reducing maintenance costs. The participants also similarly assessed the ease at which they could find the two arrow designs among the other markings. Thus, it appears that the modified design performed as well as the current design. Researchers recommend implementing the modified wrong-way arrow design as existing wrong-way arrows are replaced.

Statewide Application of Wrong-Way Driving Crash Risk Modeling and Countermeasures Optimization Algorithm to Identify Optimal Locations for Countermeasure Deployment on Florida Limited Access Facilities

“…In recent years, research has focused on the effectiveness of ITS WWD countermeasures. Researchers in Texas studied how intoxication affects a driver’s ability to identify signs and WWD countermeasures; they found that LEDs made it easier for intoxicated drivers to notice “Wrong Way” signs, but harder for them to read the signs ( 13 , 14 ). Studies of LED and RFB countermeasures in Florida by the authors showed that both devices reduce WWD, but RFBs are more effective and provide substantial life-cycle benefits ( 3 , 4 , 15 , 16 ).…”

Responding to the Wrong-Way Driving Problem with Limited Resources by Optimizing the Placement of Wrong-Way Driving Countermeasure Technologies on Limited Access Facilities

“…Studies from multiple states (including Texas, North Carolina, Illinois, and Arizona) have found that freeway WWD crashes are typically caused by intoxicated or elderly drivers and that most of these crashes occur at night ( 4 – 9 ). Some studies have also examined non-crash WWD events (such as citations, 911 calls, and traffic management center (TMC) logs) to identify areas with a high number of WWD events ( 10 – 12 ). However, these studies only focused on analyzing historical data and not on predicting locations with high WWCR.…”

A Wrong-Way Driving Crash Risk Reduction Approach for Cost-Effective Installation of Advanced Technology Wrong-Way Driving Countermeasures

“…Since only 3% of crashes on high-speed divided highways are WWD crashes ( 10 ), it can be beneficial to examine other non-crash WWD events. TTI examined WWD traffic management center (TMC) logs and 911 calls around San Antonio starting in 2011 to determine corridors with high frequencies of WWD events ( 11 ). The University of Central Florida (UCF) has also been investigating non-crash WWD events since 2012.…”

“…Significant research has been done on enhancements to traditional countermeasures (“Wrong Way” signs and pavement markings) and advanced technology WWD countermeasures. Enhancements to traditional countermeasures include lowered sign mounting heights, larger signs, overhead signs, additional signs, reflective tape on signposts, and reflective pavement markers ( 6 , 7 , 11 , 16 ). There are also a variety of advanced technology WWD countermeasures; two examples include “Wrong Way” signs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) around the border and “Wrong Way” signs equipped with RFBs.…”

“…There are also a variety of advanced technology WWD countermeasures; two examples include “Wrong Way” signs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) around the border and “Wrong Way” signs equipped with RFBs. The LED signs have been used in many states, including Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin ( 11 , 12 , 17 , 18 ). However, TTI found that LED signs could be more difficult for intoxicated drivers to read than traditional signs, possibly reducing the effectiveness of these signs for intoxicated drivers ( 19 ).…”