Lighted Guidance Devices: Intelligent Work Zone Traffic Control

Vercruyssen, Max
Williams, Gayna
Wade, Michael G.
1995-06
Thumbnail Image

View/Download File

Mn_DOT1996-05.pdf (5.73 MB)

Persistent link to this item

https://hdl.handle.net/11299/155364
Statistics
View Statistics

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Title

Lighted Guidance Devices: Intelligent Work Zone Traffic Control

Authors

Published Date

1995-06

Publisher

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Type

Report

Abstract

Annually, thousands of highway workers risk serious injury and death from drivers who enter work zones too fast or accelerate after entering the zone and then, because of their excess speed relative to the environmental limitations, have insufficient time to avoid accidents in the zone. Slow-moving vehicles are a problem in reducing traffic flow. This research investigated the effectiveness of a system of pulsing lights, that gave the illusion of movement (Phi phenomenon), in causing drivers to unknowingly synchronize their vehicle speed with the light pulses. Forty drivers participated: 20 young (10 female, 10 male; 21-42 years) and 20 older adults (10 female, 10 male; 55-87 years). Each participant made 15 passes through the work zone: a control pass with stationary white lights, two control passes with no lights, and 12 passes of test conditions -- 2 colors (red & green) x 3 apparent pulse speeds (-80, 0, & +80 mph) x 2 zone entry speeds (40 & 70 mph). Age, sex, and zone entry speed differences were found, but overall, (1) backward moving lights (-80 mph) caused drivers to reduce their vehicle speed, (2) forward moving lights (+80 mph) caused drivers to increase their vehicle speed, (3) stationary light and control lights had little or no effect, and (4) green produced stronger effects than red. Backward moving lights caused the greatest slowing in the young while forward moving lights caused the greatest acceleration in the old males and young females.

Keywords

Description

Related to

Replaces

License

Collections

Research Reports

Series/Report Number

MnDOT 96-05

Funding information

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Isbn identifier

Doi identifier

Previously Published Citation

Suggested citation

Vercruyssen, Max; Williams, Gayna; Wade, Michael G.. (1995). Lighted Guidance Devices: Intelligent Work Zone Traffic Control. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/155364.

Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.