Effects of Vehicle Type on the Nighttime Visibility of Signs and Pavement Markings

In Texas, commercial vehicle safety is an increasing priority due to the rising volume of truck traffic and the disproportionate percentage of crashes and fatalities involving large trucks. One particular safety issue is the visibility of signing and pavement markings at night from a commercial vehicle driver's perspective. In theory, commercial vehicle drivers are at a disadvantage when it comes to the amount of light returned from retroreflective devices such as signs. This report summarizes research conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) to determine to what extent, if any, this theoretical disadvantage actually affects the visibility of retroreflective signing and pavement markings at night.