Optimizing the placement of guidance arrows on highway signs.

Abstract

This paper describes a design and experimental study of the placement of guidance arrows on highway guide signs. This study was conducted under laboratory conditions. Ten subjects were shown a series of slides depicting three destinations, three directions and three sign designs under controlled instruction and exposure duration; they were required to respond to a previously determined cue as quickly and as accurately as possible. The measured variables were response time and correctness of the response. Classical statistical tests were used to conduct the analyses. The analyses were made to determine the optimum guidance sign design regarding the arrangement of arrows and destination names.