Some believe that North Americans overuse red in signage and that people might dismiss red signs as part of the visual clutter of urban spaces. Others argue that we are more likely to notice red exit signs because that is what we are conditioned to see. More research is required to settle the debate. Meanwhile, I admit to particularly noticing the wild purple exit signs used throughout one building in Orlando, Florida. Legends and Arrows Text on exit signs should be as large as possible and the spacing between the characters should be reasonably wide.
Many codes specify minimum letter height.
Few discuss spacing between characters. Consequently, there exist signs with narrow characters crammed into the smallest space possible. These signs might suffice for people with normal vision when viewed from a short distance in conditions of clear air. But knowing that our visual skills decline as we age, we cannot assume that this kind of sign will be suitable for older people and those with visual impairments. Regardless of our visual skills, we can expect these signs to be less visible than well-designed ones, especially when viewed from distances.