Traffic signs comprehension study

Abstract

Current research work investigates road user’s comprehension of different traffic control devices. Sample demographics were taken into consideration such as age, gender, and educational background. Twenty regulatory and warning signs were examined in this study. These signs vary from simple ‘No parking’ sign to more tricky ones such as ‘Divided highway’ sign. In addition, the questionnaire includes other questions related to road safety, condition of roads signs, and feeling of safety as a driver and as a pedestrian. These signs were selected based on their popularity among other road signs. The selected sample was over 100 people from different regions in Iraq (mainly southern provinces and the capital Baghdad). Only 16 % of selected sample answered with yes when asked about feeling safe as a driver, whereas 29% feels safe as a pedestrian. None of the respondents got all the 20 signs meaning correct, and the highest percent of correct sign meaning was associated with pedestrian crossing sign (98.2%). On the other hand, flagger man sign (work zone sign) had the lowest correct score of (19.8%). Overall Average of correct signs meaning was (68.5%). Approximately, 25% of traffic signs have scored less than 50%, and 75% of traffic signs scored more than 50% correctness score. A great work needs to be done to educate and spread adequate material that explains uses and meanings of different road signs.