Public Perception of Safety Messages and Public Service Announcements on Dynamic Message Signs in Rural Areas

Chapter 1. Introduction

Transportation agencies are frequently asked to post public service announcements (PSAs), such as seat belt laws or announcements concerning upcoming events on dynamic message signs (DMS) when they are not being used for transportation-related purposes. However, there are some concerns that motorists may not fully understand these messages. These messages may also be a distraction to drivers and result in slow-downs and the potential for queuing, creating mobility and safety hazards. In addition, the effectiveness of such messages in influencing motorists' travel behavior and actions (e.g. choice of route, mode, or time of date for travel) is not well understood. For example, does the seat belt campaign message change the behavior of motorists and result in greater compliance to the seat belt laws? Is such behavior change short or long term?

An earlier study focused on public acceptance and recognition of safety and PSA messages as well as the effectiveness of the messages on traveler behavior changes in large metropolitan areas, primarily commuters and drivers traveling within the metropolitan areas. In light of the results of the report of “Effectiveness of Safety and PSA messages on DMS”¹, several questions from the traffic operations standpoint arose:

• Are the study results in metropolitan areas applicable in rural areas considering the different traffic operating characteristics on rural highways (density, higher speed, higher proportions of truckers and non-commuters, etc.)?
• Do the messages have similar or different influences on rural highway drivers since we would expect a higher percentage of drivers traveling on rural highways are truckers and non-local travelers?
• Do travelers, particularly younger and less experienced drivers, pay less attention to messages on DMS in rural areas than urban areas?

This study sought to address those questions through a field evaluation focused on rural roads. The objective of this project was to assess the effectiveness and potential benefits of posting PSAs in rural areas by surveying frequent and infrequent travelers on the corridor, and long-haul truck drivers. This project addressed a number of questions related to safety awareness and PSA messages on DMS, including: traveler awareness, traveler understanding, behavior changes, and traveler opinions.

Study findings provide an understanding of the usefulness and effectiveness of using DMS for safety and PSA campaigns, providing a basis for recommendations to influence and improve agencies' guidelines, policies and operations on using DMS as a tool for safety and public service campaigns.

This study was supported by the Transportation Management Center Pooled Fund Study (TMC PFS), and members of five State agencies specifically assisted with the coordination and execution of data collection on the four study corridors within their States shown in Figure 1.

This report is intended to provide insight for agencies making decisions about the potential benefits and tradeoffs of posting PSA messages on DMS. This document is organized into the following sections:

• Survey Design Methodology describes the experimental design, survey design and sample frame, data collection methodology, and design and testing of the survey.
• Traveler Intercept Survey Data Collection presents information on survey preparations and execution, and site descriptions of survey locations.
• Analysis Methodology describes the selected approach for analyzing the collected data.
• Findings and Recommendations discusses the results and findings, and provides recommendations to practitioners.

¹Report can be found at: https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14015/