TESTING THE EFFECT OF ROAD TRAFFIC SIGNS INFORMATIONAL VALUE ON DRIVER BEHAVIOR

Measurement of the informational value of road traffic signs by questioning drivers at experimental roadblocks suggests that memory for signs is typically poor. This paper reports a study designed to assess the links among memory for road signs, driver behavior, and control adjustment action. Findings indicate that the effectiveness of road signs should be assessed in terms of their ability to sensitize the driver to hazards, rather than in terms of recall accuracy, and point to inconsistencies between drivers' verbal recall and vehicle control behavior which are not readily apparent from roadblock research.