Behavioral Traffic Safety Messaging on Variable Message Signs (2022) / Chapter Skim
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P A R T 1 Guide
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1-3 Many transportation agencies own and operate variable message signs (VMS) (also referred to as changeable, electronic, or dynamic message signs)
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1-4 Behavioral Traffic Safety Messaging on Variable Message Signs While useful for traffic management messages, the concept of information units does not work very well when designing BTS messages for VMS. The display of BTS messages on VMS is often part of an overall road safety campaign.
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1-5 Basic Concepts of BTS Messaging Road safety campaigns typically have one or more of the following goals (Delhomme et al.
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1-6 Behavioral Traf c Safety Messaging on Variable Message Signs on the dissemination of nonemotional facts or can use emotional appeals to capture the attention and a ect the intentions and habits of the target audience. Messages that use both types of execution strategies can also be created.
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Fundamentals of BTS Messaging 1-7 Use of Emotional Appeals Emotional appeals in a BTS message can be either positive or negative. As shown in Figure 5, positive appeal messages focus on what the target driver will gain by adopting the safer behavior, whereas negative appeal messages focus on what the target driver would lose by continuing the unsafe behavior.
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1-8 VMS messages that are too long or are confusing to drivers can create operational and safety problems. Understanding Drivers' Capabilities for Reading VMS Drivers traveling along a roadway have only limited time to read and process a message that is being displayed on VMS.
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VMS Message Design and Operating Principles for BTS Messages 1-9 communications calendar (NHTSA n.d.) whenever possible to encourage consistency in behavioral safety outreach efforts across the nation.
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1-10 Behavioral Traf c Safety Messaging on Variable Message Signs Design Criteria for BTS Messages on VMS Maximum Message Length Given that drivers only have a limited amount of time to read VMS messages, agencies should strive to make messages as short as possible. e MUTCD has issued standards on the design and display of VMS messages (MUTCD 2009)
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VMS Message Design and Operating Principles for BTS Messages 1-11 improper splitting of thoughts across two phases on VMS makes it more di cult to comprehend, especially when the driver rst views the sequence of phases reversed from what the message designer likely intended. BTS messages longer than two phases are not allowed on VMS.
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1-12 Behavioral Traffic Safety Messaging on Variable Message Signs to perceive messages within a glance. For this reason, the MUTCD prohibits the use of scrolling lines of text or animation on VMS and discourages the use of flashing words or phrases within a message as these techniques have been shown to reduce driver message processing abilities (Dudek 2006)
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1-13 Most agencies operating VMS have an established VMS policy, use guidelines, or both. Such policies typically state which office or positions within the agency have responsibility for operating the VMS, what types of messages will and will not be displayed on the VMS, the priority assigned to each message type, and other criteria.
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1-14 Behavioral Traffic Safety Messaging on Variable Message Signs large metropolitan areas with extensive VMS infrastructure in their jurisdiction may choose to display BTS messages on a subset of those signs. Some urban agencies also select or develop multiple messages for a single BTS topic and distribute those different versions of the BTS messages among available VMS.
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1-15 Boyle, L., G Cordahi, K
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A-1 A P P E N D I X A Example VMS-Formatted BTS Message Phases by Traffic Safety Topic Cell Phone Use/Texting/Distracted Driving TALK LESS DRIVE MORE NO TEXTING PUT IT DOWN IT CAN WAIT YOU TALK YOU TEXT YOU CRASH DONT TEXT AND DRIVE BE RESPONSIBLE DRIVE NOW TALK OR TEXT LATER DRIVE NOW TEXT LATER IT CAN WAIT ONE TEXT OR CALL COULD WRECK IT ALL DONT TEXT AND DRIVE ARRIVE ALIVE STOP THE TEXTS STOP THE WRECKS NO TEXT IS WORTH A LIFE PUT DOWN THE PHONE JUST DRIVE NO TEXTING PUT IT DOWN ITS THE LAW GIVE DRIVING YOUR FULL ATTENTION READ THE ROAD NOT YOUR PHONE BE SMART SAVE A LIFE DONT TEXT AND DRIVE HEADS UP PHONES DOWN ARRIVE LATE DONT TEXT AND DRIVE YOU DRIVE YOU TEXT YOU PAY STATE LAW NO TEXTING WHILE DRIVING PAY ATTENTION JUST DRIVE BE ALERT YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT DONT BE A DISTRACTED DRIVER BUCKLE UP EYES ON THE ROAD WATCH YOUR SPEED EYES ON ROAD HANDS ON WHEEL MIND ON DRIVING DISTRACTED DRIVING KILLS
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A-2 Behavioral Traffic Safety Messaging on Variable Message Signs Seat Belt/Car Seat Use SAFETY HAS NO RIVAL BUCKLE UP BUCKLE UP IN YOUR TRUCK BUCKLE UP IT IS THE LAW BUCKLE UP EVERY TRIP EVERY TIME DO IT FOR YOUR FAMILY BUCKLE UP CRASHES AFFECT EVERYONE BUCKLE UP BUCKLE UP PHONE DOWN BUCKLE UP PHONE DOWN EVERY TRIP CLICK IT OR TICKET CLICK IT OR TICKET ITS THE LAW CLICK IT OR TICKET ENFORCEMENT UP DONT RELY ON LUCK BUCKLE UP BOOSTER SEATS SAVE KIDS CHILD SEAT DO IT FOR THEIR FUTURE BUCKLE KIDS IN CAR SEATS CAR SEATS SAVE KIDS TEACH YOUR KIDS TO BUCKLE UP BUCKLE UP EYES ON THE ROAD WATCH YOUR SPEED BUCKLE UP EVERY RIDER EVERY RIDE PROTECT YOUR KIDS BUCKLE THEM UP SAVE A LIFE EVERYONE WEAR SEATBELTS
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Example VMS-Formatted BTS Message Phases by Traffic Safety Topic A-3 Drunk and Drugged Driving DRINK DRIVE GO TO JAIL DRUNK DRIVING KILLS BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING DONT CHANCE IT DONT DRINK AND DRIVE ITS STUPID DONT DRINK AND DRIVE ARRIVE ALIVE DRINKING AND DRIVING DONT MIX DONT DRINK AND DRIVE PREVENT A TRAGEDY DONT DRIVE IMPAIRED DRIVE HIGH GET A DUI BUZZED BUSTED BROKE REPORT DRUNK DRIVERS CALL 911 DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER ENFORCEMENT UP DRIVING SOBER SAVES LIVES BE FREE BE RESPONSIBLE DRIVE SOBER DESIGNATE A SOBER DRIVER WE SALUTE YOU DESIGNATED DRIVERS Drowsy Driving STAY AWAKE STAY ALIVE DONT DRIVE DROWSY ARRIVE ALIVE DRIVING DROWSY IS DANGEROUS DRIVING TIRED IS DRIVING DISTRACTED USE REST AREAS AN ALERT DRIVER CAN AVOID A CRASH DROWSY DRIVING CAN KILL TAKE A BREAK DRIVING DROWSY?
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A-4 Behavioral Traffic Safety Messaging on Variable Message Signs Work Zone Safety/Move Over Law/Move It Law WORK ZONE AWARENESS WEEK GIVE EM A BRAKE USE CAUTION IN WORK ZONES BE WORK ZONE ALERT TAKE TURNS MERGING IN WORK ZONES WORK ZONES… PAY ATTENTION ALL THE TIME EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED IN WORK ZONES PAY ATTENTION SO HIGHWAY WORKERS GO HOME SAFE STAY ALERT IN WORK ZONES ROADWAY WORK PLEASE SLOW DOWN USE CAUTION OBEY WORK ZONE SPEED LIMITS FINES INCREASED IN WORK ZONES SLOW DOWN SLOW DOWN IN A CONE ZONE SLOW DOWN STAY ALERT IN WORK ZONES SLOW DOWN MOVE OVER FOR WORK ZONES MOVE OVER OR SLOW FOR WORKERS ITS THE LAW NO HANDHELD PHONES IN WORK ZONES PROTECT OUR WORKERS SLOW DOWN IN WORK ZONES DONT BARREL THROUGH WORK ZONES WORK ZONES PAY ATTENTION ALL THE TIME WORK ZONE AHEAD STAY ALERT GIVE TRUCKS ROOM FENDER BENDER MOVE VEHICLES FROM TRAVEL LANE STATE LAW MOVE MINOR CRASHES TO THE SHOULDER MOVE OVER SLOW DOWN AT CRASH SCENES MOVE OVER FOR CRASH SCENES MOVE OVER GIVE RESPONDERS ROOM TO WORK MAKE ROOM FOR RESPONDERS MOVE OVER SLOW DOWN MOVE OVER FOR RESPONDERS MOVE OVER FOR RED, BLUE OR AMBER LIGHTS
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Example VMS-Formatted BTS Message Phases by Traffic Safety Topic A-5 Speeding/Tailgating/Safe Driving SLOW DOWN AND SAVE A LIFE SLOW DOWN SAVE A LIFE DRIVE SAFELY AT OR UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT SPEED KILLS SLOW DOWN OBEY SPEED LIMIT SLOW DOWN AND OBEY THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT BUCKLE UP EYES ON THE ROAD WATCH YOUR SPEED OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT DONT TAILGATE KEEP SAFE DISTANCE STAY SAFE GIVE YOURSELF ROOM TO BRAKE DONT TAILGATE DRIVE SAFELY ARRIVE ALIVE AVOID AGGRESSIVE DRIVING DRIVE WITH CARE SO WE ALL GET THERE DRIVE SAFELY BE SAFE DRIVE SMART BUCKLE UP PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY STATE LAW KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT ITS THE LAW KEEP RIGHT LET OTHERS PASS ON LEFT KEEP SAFE DISTANCE STAY SAFE YOU ARE NOT ALONE SHARE THE ROAD SHARE THE ROAD SIGNAL BEFORE CHANGING LANES STAY RIGHT PASS LEFT ITS THE LAW RED MEANS STOP DONT RUN RED LIGHTS
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A-6 Behavioral Traffic Safety Messaging on Variable Message Signs Weather Advisories TURN OFF CRUISE DURING WET CONDITIONS BRIDGES ICE BEFORE ROADWAYS USE CAUTION SLOW DOWN USE CAUTION INCLEMENT WEATHER SLOW DOWN DURING WET CONDITIONS WET ROADWAYS PLEASE SLOW DOWN USE CAUTION HEADLIGHTS ON WHEN RAINING ITS THE LAW TURN LIGHTS ON WHEN WIPERS ON HEAD LIGHTS ON WHEN SNOWING DONT CROWD THE PLOW KEEP BACK 300 FEET WATCH FOR SLOW MOVING SNOW PLOWS DRIVING IN RAIN LIGHTS ON FLASHERS OFF ICE AND SNOW COVERED ROADWAYS REDUCE SPEED SLOW DOWN DURING WET CONDITIONS HEAD LIGHTS ON WHEN SNOWING ICE AND SNOW TAKE IT SLOW USE CAUTION ICY CONDITIONS POSSIBLE USE CAUTION Motorcycle/Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety LOOK TWICE FOR MOTORCYCLES RIDE RESPONSIBLY WATCH FOR MOTORCYCLES SHARE THE ROAD LOOK TWICE FOR MOTORCYCLISTS SHARE THE ROAD WITH MOTORCYCLES BLIND SPOTS HIDE MOTORCYCLES ALWAYS LOOK TWICE SHARE THE ROAD WATCH FOR MOTORCYCLES LOOK TWICE FOR MOTORCYCLES LOOK TWICE FOR BICYCLES BIKE SEASON SHARE ROAD GIVE SPACE GIVE BIKES ROOM TO RIDE ALWAYS WATCH FOR PEDESTRIANS WATCH FOR BIKES AND WALKERS
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