Careless, drunk and distracted drivers clearly cause a large percentage of America’s accidents. However, poorly marked street and road signs may cause many other collisions. To address this situation, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is giving American communities until 2015 to upgrade their local street and traffic signs.
New guidelines no longer allow street signs to be printed using an “all caps” format (e.g., “MAIN STREET”). Instead, street signs must have words starting with a capital letter, followed by lowercase letters (e.g., “Main Street).” Research indicates that its easier for most drivers to read the latter types of signs.
In addition, traffic signs will have to incorporate more reflective paint and markers to make it easier for night drivers to see them. As USA Today reported on October 22, 2010, “stop, yield and railroad crossing” signs are among those in greatest need of added reflective markings. (Readers wanting to learn more about these changes should seek out a copy of the 816-page Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.)
Obstacles to Change
Given America’s ongoing economic crises, it won’t be very easy for all local communities to accomplish these changes. In fact, some of them are just starting out by replacing worn-out signs with those that meet the new guidelines. Other communities are still trying to figure out how they can come up with enough funds to change their signs during the next four years. As the USA Today article indicated, though some still debate whether the new guidelines can significantly reduce auto accidents, the 2015 deadline must be met.
Vision Problems Obviously Cause Many Accidents
Global research indicates that when you improve driver eyesight (and carefully enforce laws requiring appropriate eyewear), you can significantly decrease auto accidents. One recent Australian study reviewed nine years of accident statistics -- covering more than 27,000 drivers -- before and after each of them had one cataract removed from their eyes. After allowing for other variables, the researchers found a twelve percent (12%) drop in accidents among those who had undergone a single cataract surgery. That’s an impressive drop in collisions.
Improving Sign Readability is Much Like Improving Eyesight
So, just as improving physical eyesight can decrease the number of accidents, so can improving the readability of street and general traffic signs. If you think back over your driving career for a moment, you can probably still recall at least one or two times when you nearly plunged blindly into an intersection while still trying to read a street sign you had just passed.
All of us stand to benefit from these new federal sign guidelines. We can diminish America’s annual number of auto accidents even further by having our eyes examined regularly and wearing our prescribed eyewear. Hopefully, more states will also consider making driver eye tests mandatory every three to five years.
