Amber Alert, Disaster Response and Evacuation, Planned Special Events, Adverse Weather and Environmental Conditions, and Other Messages for Display on Dynamic Message Signs (0-4023-4)

This report provides the results of focus group studies and human factors laboratory studies to investigate issues related to America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) alerts, disaster response and evacuation (flooding, hurricane evacuation, and terrorist attacks), planned special events, and adverse weather and environmental conditions in order to design effective messages for display on dynamic message signs (DMSs). Focus group studies were conducted in six cities in Texas to obtain driver views of the above issues and to discuss driver infonnation needs. The results of the focus group studies were used as the basis for more extensive human factors laboratory studies that were then conducted in six cities in Texas. The laboratory studies were administered using several different methods of participant interface including laptop computer programs, maps, card selection process, and a driving environment simulator. This report contains specific findings and recommendations concerning message design issues for DMSs for each of the topic areas identified.