Work Zone Sign Design for Increased Driver Compliance and Worker Safety

描述（由申请人提供）：在建筑行业，特别是在道路施工作业区工地，经常发生撞车伤亡事故。虽然没有报告车辆工人死亡的原因，但人们可以合理地认为，他们是由于一些因素，包括司机和/或工人的疏忽，以及司机不遵守交通法规。动态信息标志（DMS）已被证明可以有效地影响驾驶员的行为。然而，为了使标志有效地影响工作区中的减速和合规性，标志必须引起驾驶员的注意，驾驶员必须决定处理标志的信息，并且驾驶员必须决定遵守张贴的速度限制。本研究的最终目的是发展工作区动态信息标志的设计标准，以减少建筑工人被撞事故的风险。具体目标是确定标志内容、帧刷新率和标志放置对工作区中驾驶员行为的影响。预计在以下条件下，标志将更有效：1）提及建筑工人存在的标志，2）具有中等刷新率的标志，以及3）放置在远离工作区起点的标志。这些因素中的每一个都将在一个项目中进行测试，该项目使用一个带有集成眼动跟踪系统的高保真驾驶模拟器。A二（内容）三（刷新率）二（放置）全阶乘 设计将用于评估减速、依从率和眼球运动。所有自变量（体征内容、刷新率、放置距离）均为受试者内变量。参与者的性别，年龄，驾驶历史和安全态度也将进行评估，以考虑个体差异。本研究共纳入50名受试者。每个参与者将在驾驶模拟器中完成12个驾驶场景（每个实验因素的因子组合各一个，在参与者之间进行平衡）。在每个场景中，参与者在四车道的高速公路上行驶，并将在整个场景中遇到高速公路工作区。将对进入工作区之前和进入工作区时的驾驶员行为和注意力进行评估，以确定动态标志对速度和合规性的影响。拟议的研究将通过确定（并最终实施）有效的标志设计来降低驾驶员的速度和提高遵守率，从而有助于降低工作区的撞击事件发生率。最后，该项目将评估标志的特征，这些标志可以被动地影响驾驶员对建筑工人所经历的危险的视觉注意力，补充当前的减速执法活动。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Struck-by injuries and fatalities are prevalent in the construction industry, specifically at road construction work zone sites. Although the cause of vehicle-worker fatalities is not reported, one can rationally suggest that they are due to a number of factors including the inattentiveness of the driver and/or worker and the failure of the driver to obey traffic laws. Dynamic message signs (DMS) have been shown to effectively influence driver behavior. However, in order for the signs to effectively influence speed reduction and compliance in work zones, the signs must draw the attention of the driver, the driver must decide to process the message of the sign, and the driver must decide to obey the posted speed limit. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop design standards for dynamic message signs in work zones to reduce the risk of struck-by incidents for construction workers. The specific aim is to determine the impact of sign content, frame refresh rate, and sign placement on driver behavior in work zones. It is expected that signs will be more effective under the following conditions: 1) signs that mention the presence of construction workers, 2) signs with moderate refresh rates, and 3) signs placed farther from the start of the work zone. Each of these factors will be tested in a project using a high-fidelity driving simulator with an integrated eye tracking system. A two (content) three (refresh rate) two (placement) full factorial design will be used to evaluate speed reduction, compliance rate, and eye movements. All independent variables (sign content, refresh rate, placement distance) will be within-subjects variables. Participants' gender, age, driving history, and safety attitude will also be evaluated t account for individual differences. A total of 50 participants will be included in the study. Each participant will complete twelve driving scenarios (one for each of the factorial combination of the experimental factors, counterbalanced across participants) in the driving simulator. During each scenario, participants drive in a four-lane divided highway setting and will encounter highway work zones throughout the scenarios. Driver behavior and attention before entering the work zone and upon entering the work zone will be evaluated to determine impact of the dynamic signs on speed and compliance. The proposed study will assist in lowering the incidence of struck-by incidents in work zones by identifying (and eventually implementing) effective sign designs for reducing driver speed and increasing compliance. Finally, the project will evaluate features of signs that can passively influence driver's visual attention to the dangers experienced by construction workers, supplementing current speed reduction enforcement activities.