Reducing Work Zone Crashes by Using Emergency Flasher Traffic Control Device

Rural two-lane highways compose a large percent of the highway system nationwide. Preserving, expending, and enhancing these highways result in many one-lane, two-way work zones that have caused a safety concern for the traveling public. Aimed at reducing crashes attributed to inattentive driving in these work zones, a new traffic warning sign was proposed, which was assembled using the hazard warning flashers of motor vehicles.
This warning sign, named as the Emergency Flasher Traffic Control Device (EFTCD), is flexible and cost-effective and particularly benefits the rural one-lane, two-way work zones that are frequently moved due to construction progress. This research project evaluated the effectiveness of the proposed EFTCD by comparing the speeds with and without the EFTCD and analyzing survey results in three one-lane, two-way work zones in Kansas. Study results showed that the EFTCD effectively reduced the mean speeds in work zones as well as the proportions of high speed vehicles. In addition, the EFTCD successfully captured the attention of most drivers when they were approaching the work
zones. A majority of the surveyed drivers recommended the implementation of this warning sign in the work zones. The outcome of this research project benefits both drivers and construction workers in rural work zones by providing an additional traffic control measure that can prevent crashes caused by inattentive drivers.