Driver Response to Dynamic Message Sign Safety Campaign Messages

Shealy, Tripp; Kryschtal, Pamela; Franczek, Kaitlyn; Katz, Bryan J · 2020 · ROSA P / Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC)

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Summary

This study addresses the growing use of non-traditional safety messages on dynamic message signs (DMS), which employ humor, pop culture references, and rhymes to provoke emotional responses and change driver behavior. Prior research relied heavily on surveys and limited field studies, which suffer from experimenter bias and narrow scope, often focusing only on speeding. Consequently, there is little empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of these diverse messages or their impact on specific demographic groups. The research aimed to objectively measure driver responses to these messages, identify which types are most effective, and determine potential negative impacts or comprehension issues. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase I involved collecting 1,253 non-traditional safety messages from 11 state Departments of Transportation, which were categorized by intended behavior, emotional response, and theme. Phase II empirically tested a representative sample of 80 messages with 300 participants from four Virginia counties. Participants viewed the messages while their neuro-cognitive responses were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a neuroimaging tool that quantifies cognitive activation in the prefrontal cortex. Participants also completed surveys assessing perceived effectiveness, comprehension, recall, and appropriateness. The study analyzed how factors such as age, gender, and risk profile influenced these metrics. The results indicate that drivers generally perceive all non-traditional messages as effective, but specific types perform better across multiple measures. Messages concerning distracted driving, seat belt usage, and those provoking negative emotions or using statistics were perceived as most likely to change behavior. However, messages about general safe or aggressive driving were significantly more misunderstood than those regarding distracted or impaired driving. Distracted driving and impaired driving messages were the most recallable. Neuro-cognitive data revealed that messages involving distracted driving, humor, word play, and rhyme elicited significantly higher cognitive activation, serving as a proxy for increased attention. This activation was highest in brain regions associated with emotional control and word processing, with younger drivers showing greater engagement in these areas. Demographically, females, drivers over 65, and both low- and high-risk drivers were significantly more likely to believe these messages were effective compared to their counterparts. The study concludes that non-traditional safety messages are effective tools for capturing driver attention, with distracted driving, humor, and word play ranking highest in effectiveness. The findings provide empirical guidance for transportation agencies on crafting messages that maximize cognitive engagement and behavioral change while minimizing misunderstanding. The research highlights the utility of fNIRS in overcoming the limitations of traditional survey methods, offering a more direct measure of cognitive processing. Recommendations are provided for creating new messages and targeting specific demographic groups to enhance road safety campaigns.

Key finding

Messages about distracted driving, those incorporating humor, and those using word play or rhymes elicited significantly higher cognitive activation and were perceived as most effective for changing driver behavior.

Methodology

lab_experiment

Sample size: 300

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

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

Topics

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• public messaging
• external distraction
• seat belt use

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, behavioral performance data
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model