LESSON 1/TASK 1
o Determine locations.
o Evaluate the adequacy of the intended message.
Conducting a Study
Two-person teams, on foot or in vehicles, are used to conduct traffic control devices studies. Each
team involved in such a study should follow a set pattern. This ensures that all areas are covered in a
systematic manner. It reduces the chances of some devices inadvertently not being included in the
study. The study may also be organized to check devices at different times of the day and/or night.
This permits various differences to be compared.
In addition to the normal equipment, there are some special items that should be provided the teams.
These are listed below.
o Safety equipment appropriate to the task.
o Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
o Stopwatch.
o Tape measure (100 foot).
o Field sheets for collecting data. These are locally produced. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate some
examples.
Consideration should be given to the type of vehicles that are to be used. It may be advantageous to
use unmarked vehicles to attract less attention. However, safety must also be considered.
The members of the team or teams that are to conduct the study must be fully briefed. The briefing
should include the purpose of the study and why it is necessary. The gathering of information for a
study can be extremely boring. When team members fully understand why they are conducting the
study, it greatly influences their attention to detail. Any study is only as good as the information upon
which it is based. Team members should also be reminded of applicable safety procedures.
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