Good Sign: Creativity Promotes Three E’s of Traffic Safety

As the Ace of Base song says, “I saw the sign, and it opened up my eyes…” Before that, the Five Man Electrical Band (and later Tesla) declared “signs, signs, everywhere a sign.” And the musical duo Hall & Oates were “looking for a good sign” in the 1980s. Driving along the roadway, you’ll see your share of signs – population signs, speed limit signs, exit signs, traffic signs.

And then there are the electronic road signs that seem to be upping the ante lately and providing a helping of highway humor along with safety-focused directives:

• “Today’s homework. Don’t text and drive.” (At the start of the school year.)
• “Tailgate at the game, not on the road.” (Tying into sports events.)
• “Drive now, catch Pokemon later.” (Referring to the Pokemon Go craze.)
• “Camp in the woods, not the left lane.” (Last fall.)
• “Don’t be a zombie behind the wheel. Drowsy driving kills.” (On Halloween.)
• “Deer hunters put the buck in buckle up.” (Around deer hunting season.)
• “Make it to the table. Don’t drink and drive.” (Just before Thanksgiving.)
• “No return policy on your life. Buckle up.” (Day after Christmas.)
• “Resolve to always drive sober.” (On New Year’s Day.)
• “Be a sweetheart. Use your blinker.” (On Valentine’s Day.)
• “Trust the force but always buckle up.” (On Star Wars Day, May 4.)

The Chicago Tribune highlighted some pretty creative electronic road signs too.

Travel Midwest has a repository of the active digital transportation signage being displayed throughout Wisconsin.

Dynamic message signs (DMS) can be effective ways to communicate important information to motorists, such as hazardous weather conditions, traffic delays, or missing children alerts. (Another sign that recently caught my eye said “Know before you go. 511 Wisconsin,” referring to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s 24/7 traveler information system.)

The safety messages and public service announcements are developed at the WisDOT Traffic Management Center, using guidance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) communications calendar and, often, piggybacking on current events and seasons.

Although Ayres has nothing to do with these clever signs, we’re just as safety-minded with our road designs, traffic impact analyses, and intersection audits.

And all of our efforts – Ayres’ as well as those of various departments of transportation – play their part in the three E’s of traffic safety: education, enforcement, and engineering.

The Three E’s of Traffic Safety

The First E: Education
The signs cater to the education portion of safety and increase awareness among the public – “opening up our eyes,” as the Swedish pop group Ace of Base suggests, to the role that each driver plays in making our roads safer. Campaigns to cut down on drunk driving and minimize distracted driving are other examples of efforts to involve drivers in roadway safety. DMS boards resonate with motorists – myself included – in an impactful way. (I mean, how could messages like “See orange cones, put down the phone” or “Driving on pills kills” not make an impression?) They promote awareness and remind each of us that safety starts with us.

The Second E: Enforcement
This is where police officers come into the picture. They play the pivotal role of enforcing traffic laws – cracking down on dangerous activities like drunk driving, failing to use seat belts, speeding, and texting while driving.

The Third E: Engineering
What we do at Ayres focuses on the design side of safety and its engineering components – making the roads safer so drivers are safer on them. Our crash analysts, for instance, not only find the locations of past crashes but also identify problem spots where accidents could occur in the future. From these patterns, we can recommend and design countermeasures so the road itself is as safe as possible for all users – drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists alike.

Collectively, the three E’s of traffic safety can make a powerful impact. Anything drivers can do to be safer helps the rest of the traveling public.

And why not entertain them while doing it?

Click here for more about Ayres Associates’ traffic engineering services.