Citation

Mounce JM, Messer CJ, Huchingson RD, Dudek CL. Transp. Res. Rec. 1977; 643: 40-45.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study addresses the question of the amount of bulb loss that can be tolerated in an electronic motorist-information sign before the message becomes illegible, misunderstood, or misinterpreted. A representative group of traffic-descriptor and advisory words and route numerals were displayed on a real-time matrix sign. Selected percentages (10 to 50) of bulbs were failed in a random pattern, and slides were taken of the resulting displays. These slides were shown to subjects who were instructed to respond by writing the word if it was legible. From these data, specifications for 85th and 95th percentile correct comprehension were determined for both familar and unfamiliar motorists.