Abstract
An interactive driving simulator was used to compare two versions of a construction and maintenance advance flagger sign, designed to alert motorists to the presence of a flagger in a work zone ahead. The standard symbol is a silhouetted figure holding a flag, the revised symbol is a silhouetted figure holding an octagonal paddle. Forty subjects participated in a simulated drive in which one of the two signs was encountered, along with a variety of other highway signs. The study found no significant differences between the two signs in terms of driver behavior in the presence of the signs. A post-drive questionnaire showed significant advantages for the standard sign. Drivers exposed to the standard sign had significantly better recall of which sign they had encountered. Measures of sign comprehension, both in terms of meaning and required actions also showed the superiority of the standard sign. Subjects were more likely to correctly identify the standard sign as appearing in construction zones, and the standard sign was more preferred than the revised sign.
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