Alternative information signs : an evaluation of driver comprehension and visual attention.

Hurwitz, David S.; Olsen, Michael; Neill, Justin · 2015 · ROSA P / Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans) (UTC)

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Summary

This study evaluates the understandability and visual attention associated with alternative Tourist Information signs, motivated by the economic importance of tourism and the need for intuitive signage that directs visitors to information centers. While the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) specifies the "INFO" sign, international standards and various contexts utilize symbolic alternatives like the lowercase "i" or "?". The research aimed to determine which sign design yields the highest comprehension rates among drivers, comparing text-based and symbolic options, including variations with and without circular borders. The methodology employed a two-phase experimental design. First, an online survey was administered to 142 participants to assess general public understanding using open-ended comprehension questions and rating tasks. Five sign alternatives were tested: "i", "i" with a circle, "INFO", "?", and "?" with a circle. Second, the four best-performing signs from the survey (excluding the "?" sign due to low comprehension) were evaluated in a high-fidelity driving simulator with 42 participants. The simulator study utilized eye-tracking technology to measure visual attention and fixation patterns while subjects performed simulated driving tasks. Participants were asked to verbally describe the meaning of the signs while driving, allowing researchers to assess comprehension in a realistic, dynamic context. The results indicated that the "INFO" sign achieved the highest comprehension rates across both testing methods. In the driving simulator, 95.7% of subjects correctly understood the "INFO" sign. The symbolic "i" signs performed moderately, with the "i" sign with a circular border achieving 75.4% comprehension and the "i" sign without a border achieving 72.8%. The "?" sign consistently generated the lowest comprehension rates and was excluded from the simulator phase. Statistical analysis of the online survey revealed that sign type and the number of miles driven in the previous year significantly impacted comprehension scores. Additionally, critical confusions were identified, such as misinterpreting the "i" symbol as indicating pedestrians or hospitals. A statistical difference was observed between the online survey and simulator results for the "?" sign, though the authors noted that comprehension of the "i" sign may improve over time due to its widespread use in other contexts. The study concludes that the text-based "INFO" sign is currently the most effective for ensuring driver comprehension of tourist information locations. While symbolic signs like the "i" offer potential benefits for language independence, their current understandability is significantly lower than the "INFO" sign. The findings contribute to best practices for traffic sign evaluation, highlighting the importance of using open-ended questions and realistic driving contexts to accurately assess sign effectiveness. The research suggests that while symbolic signs are prevalent internationally, their adoption in traffic control requires careful consideration of driver comprehension and potential for critical misinterpretation.

Key finding

The 'INFO' sign was correctly understood by 95.7% of driving simulator subjects, significantly outperforming the 'i' sign variants which had comprehension rates of 72.8% and 75.4%.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Sample size: 184

Provenance

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

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• signage environment
• sign visibility legibility
• external distraction