Communicating safety with drivers via dynamic message signs

2021 ◽  
Vol 81 ◽  
pp. 417-430
Author(s):  
Eva Kassens-Noor ◽  
Peter T. Savolainen ◽  
Timothy J. Gates ◽  
Meng Cai ◽  
Travis Deaminada
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Message Signs ◽  
Message Signs

Does Displaying Safety Messages on Dynamic Message Signs have Measurable Impacts on Crash Risk?

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110444
Author(s):  
Megat-Usamah Megat-Johari ◽  
Nusayba Megat-Johari ◽  
Peter T. Savolainen ◽  
Timothy J. Gates ◽  
Eva Kassens-Noor
Keyword(s):  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Driver Behavior ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Crash Risk ◽  
Traffic Crashes ◽  
Crash Data ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Dynamic Message Signs ◽  
Safety Message ◽  
Message Signs

Transportation agencies have increasingly been using dynamic message signs (DMS) to communicate safety messages in an effort to both increase awareness of important safety issues and to influence driver behavior. Despite their widespread use, evaluations as to potential impacts on driver behavior, and the resultant impacts on traffic crashes, have been very limited. This study addresses this gap in the extant literature and assesses the relationship between traffic crashes and the frequency with which various types of safety messages are displayed. Safety message data were collected from a total of 202 DMS on freeways across the state of Michigan between 2014 and 2018. These data were integrated with traffic volume, roadway geometry, and crash data for segments that were located downstream of each DMS. A series of random parameters negative binomial models were estimated to examine total, speeding-related, and nighttime crashes based on historical messaging data while controlling for other site-specific factors. The results did not show any significant differences with respect to total crashes. Marginal declines in nighttime crashes were observed at locations with more frequent messages related to impaired driving, though these differences were also not statistically significant. Finally, speeding-related crashes were significantly less frequent near DMS that showed higher numbers of messages related to speeding or tailgating. Important issues are highlighted with respect to methodological concerns that arise in the analysis of such data. Field research is warranted to investigate potential impacts on driving behavior at the level of individual drivers.

scholarly journals Cross-Vendor and Cross-State Analysis of GPS Probe Data Latency

2018 ◽  
Vol 2672 (42) ◽  
pp. 180-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongxiang Wang ◽  
Masoud Hamedi ◽  
Elham Sharifi ◽  
Stanley Young
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Traffic Information ◽  
Incident Detection ◽  
Dynamic Message Signs ◽  
Real Time Traffic ◽  
Outsourced Data ◽  
Message Signs

Crowd sourced GPS probe data have become a major source of real-time traffic information applications. In addition to traditional traveler advisory systems such as dynamic message signs (DMS) and 511 systems, probe data are being used for automatic incident detection, integrated corridor management (ICM), end of queue warning systems, and mobility-related smartphone applications. Several private sector vendors offer minute by minute network-wide travel time and speed probe data. The quality of such data in terms of deviation of the reported travel time and speeds from ground-truth has been extensively studied in recent years, and as a result concerns over the accuracy of probe data have mostly faded away. However, the latency of probe data—defined as the lag between the time at which disturbance in traffic speed is reported in the outsourced data feed, and the time at which the traffic is perturbed—has become a subject of interest. The extent of latency of probe data for real-time applications is critical, so it is important to have a good understanding of the amount of latency and its influencing factors. This paper uses high-quality independent Bluetooth/Wi-Fi re-identification data collected on multiple freeway segments in three different states, to measure the latency of the vehicle probe data provided by three major vendors. The statistical distribution of the latency and its sensitivity to speed slowdown and recovery periods are discussed.

scholarly journals Research on the Relationship between Dynamic Message Sign Control Strategies and Driving Safety in Freeway Work Zones

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenxiang Xu ◽  
Xiaohua Zhao ◽  
Yufei Chen ◽  
Yang Bian ◽  
Haijian Li
Keyword(s):  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Free Flow ◽  
Driving Safety ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Analytic Hierarchy ◽  
Dynamic Message Signs ◽  
Traffic Jams ◽  
Analysis Strategy ◽  
Message Signs

Several studies have researched the effect of dynamic message signs (DMSs) on the driving safety in work zones. However, only a few studies have examined the design of DMS control strategies in work zones. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of DMS control strategies on driving decisions and behaviors and to improve the driving safety in work zones by changing the content and placement of DMSs. In this study, five control strategies are proposed by combining five DMSs with different contents (“change lane” versus “go straight”). A total of 32 participants participated in this study. Each participant drove in five scenarios in a high-fidelity driving simulator corresponding to strategies 1-5. The results show that the control strategies have a significant effect on drivers’ decisions and behavior (e.g., the driving speed, acceleration, and lateral placement). All strategies reduce the drivers’ speeds and improve their control stability and compliance. After conducting analytic hierarchy process (AHP) analysis, strategy 2 was removed because the approaching speed exceeded the speed limit. The weight vectors of strategies 1, 3, 4, and 5 under free-flow traffic and traffic jam conditions are Ƴfree-flow  traffic=0.25,0.28,0.17,0.23 and Ƴtraffic  jam=[0.17,0.28,0.2,0.3], respectively. These results show that strategy 4 is not suitable for free-flow traffic in work zones, while strategies 5 and 3 are suitable for traffic jams in work zones. Strategy  3 is suitable for both free-flow traffic and traffic jams. The first occurrence of a decision sign that contains lane change content is key to the driver’s decision; in addition, the position of signage with such information should gradually be moved closer to work zones with increasing traffic flow.

Evaluation of Dynamic Message Signs on Rural Freeways: Case Study of a Full Freeway Closure

2014 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Praveen Edara ◽  
Carlos Sun ◽  
Clay Keller ◽  
Yi Hou
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Message Signs ◽  
Message Signs

scholarly journals Studying the Tailgating Issues and Exploring Potential Treatment

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miao Song ◽  
Jyh-Hone Wang
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Potential Treatment ◽  
Surveillance Videos ◽  
Dynamic Message Signs ◽  
Message Signs ◽  
Made In

A human factors study consisting of a vehicle headway analysis and a questionnaire survey was conducted in Rhode Island (RI) to investigate tailgating issues and possible means for tailgating treatment. Vehicle headways were collected from highway surveillance videos and serious tailgating issues were identified on RI highways. The results of the questionnaire survey further confirmed the observations made in the vehicle headway analysis that most RI drivers maintained insufficient vehicle headways on highways. Among a few tailgating treatments presented in the survey, most subjects preferred a system consisting of equally spaced, white horizontal bars marked on pavement and overhead graphic-aided dynamic message signs.

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