The following three different designs of road signs were compared as to their functional performance: the present Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB) system, and two variants designed by the Ninaber/Peters/Krouwel Bureau (NPK1 and (NPK2). Using a reaction time paradigm, the response speed and percentage of mistakes regarding the correct direction for travel destination were measured. The three systems were tested for 12 different road sign configurations, each consisting of 6 city names, distributed over 3 signs. The most important conclusions are: (1) The three systems do not differ in the percentage of mistakes in choosing the correct direction; (2) Generalising over the 12 configurations, the average response time (800 ms on average) does not differ significantly between the three systems; (3) In 4 out of the 12 configurations somewhat faster response times were obtained for the ANWB design, as compared to the NPK design; (4) There are indications that the differences in response time can be attributed to differences in reading and/or search time rather than to differences in comprensibility. These differences have no functional consequence; and (5) the two NPK designs perform equally well. This implies that the present difference in shape of signs for the "straight on" and "left or right" direction does not have to be maintained. (A)
Abstract