A Sign Equals Thousand Words

Abstract

This chapter shows the results of a terminological and linguistic approach to analyse traffic/road signs and verbal messages and their conceptual elements, with a view to achieving more consistency within and among countries. Work in this chapter started off from defining key meanings and bilingual messages for VMSs. It covers quite a range of different aspects from the optimization of some of the existing road/traffic signs (and their verbal and non-verbal elements) and VMSs (variable message signs) via the information design of the data contained therein, to Europe-wide harmonization and testing. It is, therefore, complementary to the previous Chap. 13, which focuses more on the layout and pictograms. In the course of IN-SAFETY, it became clear that some road/traffic signs, as well as additional signs and VMSs or (verbal or non-verbal) elements thereof should – and could easily – be harmonized, not only for the benefit of pan-EU traffic information/control systems, but especially as regards user-friendliness to support SER and FOR – thus diminishing the potential of accidents caused by distracted drivers. In order to obtain these results, a systematic methodology was developed for the aspects under investigation and applied as “Europeanisms”, encompassing key meanings and potential objects for harmonization.