| This research investigated the effectiveness of in-vehicle information technologies on driver behavior in work zones. In-vehicle information devices can increase driver awareness to an oncoming change in traffic flow and provide specific guidelines for driving speed requirements, lane merging strategies, or unexpected changes in the roadway (e.g., detours and lane shifts). The overall conditional effects for vehicle speed are significant; that is, both the audio and visual groups out performed the control group within the simulated work zone. Participants in audio group did outperform the visual group, not significantly though. The overall conditional effects for total time in violation are significant; that is, both the audio and visual groups out performed the control group. The test session results for Total Time in Violation were statistically significant, F(2, 57) = 7.17, p < .01. The strength of relationship between the warning messages and the Total Time in Violation with regular road signage, as assessed by eta2, was strong, the warning message factor accounting for 20% of the variance of the dependent variable. |
