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21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies
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Public Perception of Safety Messages and Public Service Announcements on Dynamic Message Signs in Rural Areas

Appendix B. Comments from Survey Participants

This section includes any comments received from participants that completed the survey, organized by the corridor in which they were provided. The survey teams did not log casual remarks received from individuals who were either ineligible to take the survey or were eligible and refused to take the survey.

KANSAS, I-70

Messages survey participants like:

  • Weather (e.g., ice and tornados).
  • Weather-related messages.
  • Weather advisories, including winter weather and thunderstorms for drivers to pull off.
  • Weather messages about tornado alerts and winter weather.
  • Messages about major backups.
  • "Stay on Right, Pass on Left" (i.e., drive on right unless passing) (2 responses).
  • Motorcycle awareness (2 responses).
  • Motorcycle safety.
  • Truck awareness.
  • "Slow Down Champ, This Isn't a Race".
  • "Keep Both Hands on the Wheel".
  • Likes the funny signs in Missouri.
  • Catchy messages are great.
  • Catchy messages like "Drive Hammered, Get Nailed" and "Hit a Worker, $10,000 fine".
  • Hitting a construction worker is a $10,000 fine.
  • Get message out about cell phone use, e.g., "Hands-free use required for mobile devices".
  • Seat belt and work zone messages displayed in Missouri; they make me pay attention.
  • Messages displayed in Colorado are good (note: did not identify any specific message).
  • For truckers, messages saying what lane to be in for a work zone lane closure and distance to the work zone.
  • For truckers, accident ahead signs helpful so trucks can divert in advance with enough notice.
  • Colorado has good weather warning signs, which would be nice to have in Kansas.
  • Pull over if you're sleepy.
  • Travel time, congestion, specific alternate routes to use.
  • Congestion and travel time signs.
  • Queue warning messages.
  • AMBER alerts.
  • Aggressive driving messages – tailgating, speeding, left lane for passing only.
  • Evacuation warning messages to give truckers advance warning to turn around or divert.
  • Seat belt messages.
  • Messages about texting.
  • "Do Not Throw Cigarettes Out the Window".
  • Who to call for an emergency, if not 911.
  • "Wipers On, Lights On".

Other comments included:

  • DMS are used too often, but good for major things.
  • Why show a message about workers if there are no highway workers present?
  • A consistent phone number for the highway patrol in all states would be nice.

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN, I-94

  • If drivers are required to wear seatbelts, motorcyclists should be required to wear helmets.
  • Need a "Don't annoy the wife" message.
  • Minnesota/Wisconsin should indicate when weigh stations are open or closed with signage on the road to help truck drivers save time.
  • Like the message "if you die while driving distracted, you'll never do it again".
  • People do read the messages about highway fatalities and it makes you think when you see that the number has gone up.
  • Post "take alternate route" or the actual diversion route when there is a major crash.
  • Death toll signs are eye-opening.
  • Better design makes the sign more appealing.
  • The only messages I respond to are about construction information.
  • I don't think there should be signs saying the number of deaths – no one wants to know that.
  • I don't like these signs. The signs telling you about traffic congestion aren't soon enough. People slow down to read them and it makes traffic worse.
  • Would prefer exit numbers instead of mile numbers for messages about accidents and congestion.
  • I do not like electronic billboards that flash to quickly to read because then you’re trying to look back to see what they said.
  • Truck drivers don't wear seat belts because they have to lean forward constantly to check the large blind spots.
  • I avoid reading the signs because I don't want to see the death toll numbers.
  • I wish the no texting laws would be enforced.
  • Need more do not text signs – there are so many people texting.
  • Add more signs.
  • The signs are distracting and cause fatalities.

MISSOURI, I-44

  • Consider adding flashing lights to DMS.
  • Does the 67 percent of fatalities unbuckled statistic include pedestrian and motorcycle fatalities?
  • Messages in Tennessee were hard to read.
  • Like the message "Give truckers room because they cannot stop on a dime, but they can stop on other vehicles".
  • Need more enforcement of pass/cruise for the left lane and speed limits, posting messages is not enough.
  • Electronic message signs are the best way to reach drivers with disabilities.
  • The message "Passing lane is not a cruising lane" implies you should be speeding.
  • Listing the number of traffic deaths is good.
  • The signs are very helpful, especially for weather and traffic information which makes the trip much easier.
  • Tax dollars should be spent on road repair instead of paying people to take surveys.
  • A message should say "No Tailgating”.
  • A message should say “Don’t Text and Drive".
  • Think DMS should be used more for AMBER alerts and traffic conditions.
  • Buckle Up, 29 Deaths This Year can be confusing.
  • Truck drivers should be allowed to advertise these messages on the side of their trucks.

NEVADA, I-80

  • Liked the Fernley DMS because it is not in your face or distracting.
  • DMS messages are very distracting because they do not apply to me.
  • Motorcycle awareness messages are needed as the weather improves.
  • Truckers are not always right – when side-by-side to block passers, it causes frustrated drivers, i.e., unsafe drivers; a DMS message somewhere said to respect truckers, but truckers are not always right.
  • Awareness of no-passing zones is a major issue.
  • Messages should pertain to driving, e.g., not drought.
  • AMBER alerts are ok, but any other message is a waste of money.
  • Tear DMS down, they are a waste of taxpayer money.
  • Take the DMS down because they cause traffic problems when drivers slow down to read them.
  • Tear all the DMS down and text people the message instead; the signs are a waste of money, but people pay attention to their phones while driving.
  • Spend less on signs and fix the roads; having too many signs is more distracting than texting is.
  • Liked "Drive hammered, get nailed" message.
  • Have seen the motorcycle awareness messages (5+ responses).
  • Really like the travel time signs.
  • Truck/trailer speed should be lower in Nevada; it is 55 mph in California.
  • Winter weather messages are great.
  • DMS messages are good and they help.
  • Definitely keep up the AMBER alert messages.
  • Travel time messages are not important.
  • Like messages about weather and construction.
  • Good highway patrol in Nevada; they pull over cars and not just trucks.
  • Cell phone use is a major issue, which is a reason why many drivers probably do not see the signs.
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