Laura Higgins

Driver responses to signing treatments for flooded roads

A study performed by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute for the Texas Department of Transportation examined signing strategies for warning motorists of flooding on roadways, with the goal of creating uniform signing guidelines for flooding or water-crossing situations. Two human factors studies were conducted to provide information about driver responses to signing treatments that warn of flooded roadways. The first was a series of focus groups that explored driver decision processes and information preferences related to flooded roadways. The focus group results indicated that drivers tended to base decisions about proceeding on a flooded road on their perceptions of the depth and speed of the water (which were not always reliable), as well as other visual cues; drivers preferred positive guidance in the form of directive messages and active signs. The second study was a survey that presented drivers with pictures of roadways using various signing treatments, followed by questions about how they would respond to each situation pictured. The survey results supported the focus group findings about drivers’ greater trust of active signs versus passive signs and further emphasized the effects of visual cues on drivers’ decisions about proceeding on flooded roads.

Effects of Distraction Type, Driver Age, and Roadway Environment on Reaction Times – An Analysis Using SHRP-2 NDS Data

Effects of different types of cell phone use were examined through an analysis of selected data from the SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS). Driving events involving lead-vehicle or approaching-vehicle incidents were analyzed to compare driver reaction times and crash probability across driver distraction type, driver age, and roadway environment. The analysis found that the median reaction time was 40.5% higher among drivers engaged in a visualmanual task such as texting, and crash risk for those drivers was 4.66 times higher compared to drivers who were undistracted. Median reaction times in urban environments were longer than those in freeway environments. Drivers aged 1619 exhibited faster reaction times then older drivers, but higher crash risk.

Emergency Exit Guidance for U.S. Highway Tunnels

This research project focused on determining effective messages for encouraging drivers to leave their vehicles and evacuate a tunnel on foot, determining sign and marking formats that most effectively lead people to emergency tunnel exits, and determining the most visible sign and marking materials and technologies for use in highway tunnel environments. Focus groups were conducted to explore potential evacuation messages and delivery methods. Next, a simulated tunnel environment was used to test driver responses to emergency messages and visibility and comprehension of selected emergency exit signs and markings, including the running man symbol prescribed in the ISO 7010 guidelines. The study results highlighted the importance of providing information and instructions to drivers in the event that their vehicles are trapped by an in-tunnel incident. Results also indicated that the running man symbol was correctly or partially understood to indicate an exit by a majority of participants and that a directional sign with the symbol, the word “EXIT,” a directional arrow, and the distance in feet was correctly understood by virtually all participants. Flashing and strobing pathway lighting and audio beacons that indicate the position of exit doors were also favored by test participants. Visibility distances of tested internally illuminated signs were somewhat longer than those of tested photoluminescent signs; visibility for all sign technologies dropped sharply when viewed through smoke.

Identification of Potential Statewide Intercity Rail and Bus Transit Corridors in Texas

Highways and air travel have accounted for the vast majority of intercity trips in Texas for the past several decades. Expansion of roadways or adding additional intercity flights has been a relatively straightforward way to address intercity travel demand; but, as highway construction becomes more costly, additional highway right-of-way in urban areas becomes scarce, aviation fuel and operational costs rise, and airport/airspace capacity is consumed due to an increasing number of flights, Texas may need to shift some investments to passenger rail or express bus transit service to maintain and maximize mobility and efficient operation of the overall transportation system. This paper describes a recent study and method to quantify existing intercity passenger corridors in Texas and to identify potential intercity rail and bus transit routes that could be part of a future statewide transit system. This research approach looked at future growth, existing highway capacity, and demographic forecasts to determine corridors where new intercity travel options should be studied.Copyright