Evaluation of Speed Control Signs for Small Rural Towns

This article describes the results of a comprehensive experiment dealing with speed control and driver behavior when approaching and driving through small town speed zones on a high-speed, rural, two-lane highway. The basic objective of the experiment was to develop safe practical traffic control devices which alert drivers to the need for speed reduction when approaching concentrated areas of rural population and invoke voluntary compliance with the speed regulatory devices, thereby increasing safety in vehicle operation. Twelve different configurations of speed limit signs and warning devices were evaluated.\n