A driving simulator study : evaluation of vehicle mounted attenuator markings in work zones during different times of the day.

Bham, Ghulam H.; Leu, Ming C.; Mathur, Durga Raj; Vallati, Manoj · 2010 · ROSA P / Missouri University of Science and Technology. Dept. of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering

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Summary

This study addresses the lack of specific guidelines for selecting color combinations and striping patterns for Vehicle Mounted Attenuators (VMAs) in highway work zones. While VMAs are known to reduce crash severity, existing manuals like the MUTCD do not prescribe specific markings, leading to inconsistent practices among state Departments of Transportation (DOTs). Motivated by rising work zone fatalities and the need to improve driver perception and reaction times, the research evaluates the effectiveness of four common VMA markings—red and white checkerboard, orange and white vertical stripes, yellow and black inverted ‘V’, and lime green and black inverted ‘V’—ac different times of day. The researchers employed a mixed-methods approach involving a survey of 30 state DOTs and a driving simulator experiment with 120 participants from three age groups (18–34, 35–64, and 65+). The simulator study replicated a rural divided highway with partial lane closures, exposing drivers to the four VMA patterns in randomized order during daytime, dusk, and nighttime scenarios. Objective effectiveness was measured using Lane Change Distance (LCD), defined as the distance from the VMA where drivers began steering to change lanes. Statistical analysis included Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), pairwise least-square means tests, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests to assess differences in LCD distributions. Subjective effectiveness was evaluated through post-experiment questionnaires where participants ranked the patterns based on visibility, attention capture, alertness, and color contrast. The DOT survey revealed that the yellow and black inverted ‘V’ pattern was the most widely used, primarily because it was the default provided by suppliers, though no DOT had conducted detailed studies on pattern effectiveness. The simulator results indicated that the red and white checkerboard pattern was the most effective overall. During daytime, the red and white checkerboard and orange and white vertical striped patterns yielded significantly larger mean LCDs than the inverted ‘V’ patterns. At dusk, the yellow and black inverted ‘V’ pattern was significantly less effective than the other three, with the red and white checkerboard showing the largest mean LCD, though differences with the other two patterns were not statistically significant. No significant differences in mean LCDs were observed among patterns during nighttime. Subjective rankings consistently favored the red and white checkerboard pattern for visibility, attention capture, and contrast across all times of day. The study concludes that the red and white checkerboard pattern is the most effective VMA marking for enhancing driver perception and encouraging earlier lane changes, particularly during daytime and dusk. The findings suggest that current reliance on supplier defaults, such as the yellow and black inverted ‘V’, may be suboptimal for safety. The results provide empirical evidence to support updating traffic control guidelines to recommend specific high-contrast patterns, thereby improving work zone safety by facilitating earlier driver reactions to construction vehicles.

Key finding

The red and white checkerboard pattern was the most effective VMA marking overall, significantly outperforming the yellow and black inverted 'V' pattern during dusk conditions.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 120

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
• vehicle conspicuity
• work zones
• signage environment
• perceptual countermeasures
• roadway lighting effects