Institute for Transportation

About the research

Pedestrian safety at signalized intersections can be improved by reducing vehicle-pedestrian conflicts. The right turn on red (RTOR) maneuver is a source of these conflicts, because RTOR drivers must cross the path of crossing pedestrians, while also searching for gaps in conflicting vehicle flow at the same time. One potential treatment to reduce conflicts is to use a dynamic blank out No Right Turn on Red (NRTOR) sign, which provides an illuminated display of the “No Turn on Red” sign that can be deactivated during conditions when it is not needed, such as when there are no pedestrians present. Because the dynamic NRTOR sign is conspicuous, this treatment may increase driver compliance with NRTOR compared to a static sign, and it may increase efficiency by allowing drivers to execute the RTOR movement at other times. However, at present there is very little guidance regarding the use of blank out NRTOR signs, and only a few studies of their potential effects.The objectives of this research are: (1) to better understand the compliance rates of static and dynamic NRTOR signs; (2) to better understand the maintenance requirements of dynamic NRTOR signs; and (3) to develop recommendations for placement of dynamic NRTOR signs in consideration of their effectiveness in improving safety and efficiency and their maintenance needs.