Amber Alert and Major Catastrophe Messages on Dynamic Message Signs

The Texas Department of Transportation wanted to expand its dynamic message sign (DMS) design and display manual to include information related to Amber alerts and specific major catastrophes. Focus groups were conducted in six Texas cities to obtain initial responses from drivers concerning information needs and to help develop messages for further study. In Amber alert situations, there was no consensus as to which descriptor would best convey that a child had been abducted. The descriptors “Amber alert,” “kidnapped,” and “abducted” implied a sense of danger or urgency that would be appropriate to the situation. Additionally, participants were not able to recall license plate or phone numbers easily after having viewed a message for 8 s. Participants were split as to whether they would continue to drive if the message “flooded” were displayed on a DMS. The consensus of those who would continue driving was that the message should include information regarding the location of the flooding or an exit to take. Also, no consensus was found for a term describing this situation, although “flooded” was used in messages designed by five of the six groups. For both hurricanes and terrorist attacks, the information needs identified far exceed what can be accommodated via DMS. However, the information needs cited provide valuable insight into the perspectives of motorists during evacuation and disaster situations. This information should be considered along with situational perspective and engineering judgment to determine how it could be used for an event.