- Author
-
Collins, B. L.
- Title
- Evaluation of Colors for Use on Traffic Control Devices.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Sponsor
- Federal Highway Administration, McLean, VA
- Report
-
NISTIR 88-3894
November 1988
110 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
traffic control devices; color; highway signs; chromaticity; visibility; reflectivity; safety; specifications
- Abstract
- Research on color coding, highway safety color codes, color deficiency, retroreflective materials, and conspicuity, is reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of chromaticity specifications for highway signs and markings. Data from a study by Collins et al (1986) are reanalyzed to compare color appearance data for both ANSI and highway colors viewed under seven illuminants, including several HID sources. The analysis demonstrated that the ANSI colors, especially safety yellow, were identified more accurately in terms of color name, lightness, saturation, and primary hue than the corresponding highway color. In addition, selected measurements of the chromaticity of retroreflective materials were made as background for assessing the feasibility of developing a nighttime chromaticity specification. Based on the analysis of the appearance of safety colors under different illuminants, it is recommended that consideration be given to switching the FHWA specifications for the chromaticity of colors used on traffic control devices to the ANSI specifications.