Citation

Di Stasi LL, Megías A, Candido A, Maldonado A, Catena A. Transp. Res. F Traffic Psychol. Behav. 2012; 15(4): 438-444.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.trf.2012.03.006

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the last five decades, cognitive scientists and the psychologists of reasoning have dedicated a lot of effort designing usable traffic signs. This study investigated the interference effect produced by the position of the sign elements in traffic signage on response accuracy and reaction time. Sixteen drivers performed a flanker interference reaction time task. Incongruent graphical/space solutions, actually used for the airport stack-type sign, lead to increased reaction time and a reduction in the proportion of correct answers. These results suggest that incongruent visual information should be avoided, as this might impair drivers' performance. These findings provide important information for the specification of future signage design guidelines and for improving road safety.