Displaying Response Status Messages to Motorists During Incident Conditions

Balke, K. N.; Durkop, B. R. · 2000 · ROSA P / Texas. Dept. of Transportation

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Summary

This study, conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), investigates the feasibility and utility of displaying real-time incident response status messages on Dynamic Message Signs (DMS). The research aims to determine whether replacing standard "Expect Delays" messages with specific status updates—such as "Police En Route," "Police On Scene," or "Emergency Vehicle On Site"—provides motorists with more useful information for making driving decisions. The motivation stems from a broader effort to improve incident response processes and identify motorist information needs during highway incidents. The researchers employed a two-pronged approach involving surveys of TxDOT district operators and a limited user acceptance study with motorists. First, representatives from the Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio districts were consulted regarding the operational feasibility of displaying real-time status messages. Second, a survey was conducted with 51 motorists in Houston, who evaluated four different message formats: basic incident location and lane closure, incident status with police en route, incident status with "Expect Delay," and incident status with emergency vehicles on site. Participants were asked to identify which message was most helpful for driving decisions and whether they desired information on emergency response actions. The findings revealed significant operational and user-based barriers to implementing status messages. TxDOT districts overwhelmingly opposed the practice, citing increased operator workload due to the need for constant message updates, legal concerns regarding response time documentation, and the limited character capacity of DMSs. Districts suggested that such detailed information might be better suited for Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) systems. Among motorists, opinions were divided. While 73% expressed a desire to be informed about emergency response actions, only 28% considered this information useful for driving decisions. In the comparative evaluation, the most selected "most helpful" message was the basic incident report (35%), followed closely by the "Expect Delay" message (29%). Messages containing specific responder status were selected by only 28% of participants combined. Respondents who preferred status messages cited the need for extra caution around emergency vehicles, while those preferring basic or delay messages found status details unnecessary or complicating. Based on these results, the study concludes that TxDOT should continue using "Expect Delays" messages rather than displaying incident response status information on DMSs. The authors recommend against implementation due to the lack of clear user preference for status data, the operational burden on traffic management center operators, and potential legal liabilities. The research suggests that while motorists may have a general interest in response status, it does not translate into a practical need for driving decision-making, and the current DMS format is insufficient for conveying such dynamic information effectively.

Key finding

Only 28 percent of surveyed motorists considered incident response status messages useful, leading to a recommendation against replacing 'Expect Delays' messages on dynamic message signs.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 51

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• emergency work zone conspicuity