Traffic sign perception among Jordanian drivers: An evaluation study

Abstract

Highway traffic control signs are commonly used to regulate, warn, and guide road users. It is widely believed that traffic signs comprehension has a tremendous effect on traffic safety. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between drivers’ personal characteristics and their familiarity/comprehensibility with a thirty nine posted traffic signs. To this end, 400 surveys were distributed among Jordanian drivers. The results showed that the familiarity level of traffic signs is higher than comprehensibility level. On average 79%, 77%, and 83% of the drivers were familiar with regulatory, warning, and guidance traffic signs, respectively. On the other hand, only 61%, 66%, and 75% of the drivers comprehended regulatory, warning, and guidance traffic signs, respectively. “Narrow Bridge”, “Divided Roadway a Head”, “Dead End” and “Highway” received the lowest comprehensibility scores among drivers. Participants with commercial driving license had higher familiarity and comprehensibility levels than those with regular license. Drivers with a driving experience more than 11years show more familiarity and comprehensibility for traffic signs than those with less than 2 years driving experience. The number of traffic violations did not have a significant effect on traffic signs familiarity and comprehensibility.