Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-03
Report on Study of Road Psy.
choIogy Given Highway
Research Board.
MOTORISTS DIVIDED
INTO THREE CLASSES
Elimination of Accident Prone, In
GLIDING 2 to 6 Per Cent, Urged
as Safety Measure.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

More than half of all auto accidents
are due to less than per cent Of all
drivers, DR.. A. r. Lauer of Iowa State
University reported yesterday to the
Highway Research Board meeting here.
DR.. Lauer is chairman of commit
tee of the Division Of Psychology and
Anthropology Of the National Research
Council, which is making a study OF
highway psychology. This study, he
said, has included approximately 1000
drivers from all walks Of life.
All motorists, he said, can be divided
into three classes-the accident-free,
including about rs per cent Of the
whole who never have any accidents;
the accident liable, including about 20
PEI cent: and the accident-prone, in
Guiding from to per cent. Means
can be worked out, he believes, for
eliminating this small number from the
highways Usually, he said, they are
characterized by some detachable de-
feet, such as color blindness, extreme
nervousness, epilepsy, or the obscured
condition known as narcolepsy, or
tendency to fall asleep anywhere at
any time.
Color Blindness Studied.
Although color blindness is a serious
defect with the present traffic light sys-
TEN, he said, the committees studies
Of color blind drivers show they would
discriminate signals about as well as
normal people if slightly different
shades of red and green we're used.
Many of them cannot discriminate the
shades used at present.
Among the studies conducted by the
Ha,v- tnn hat of Ia af
attention of motorists-how many
things is is possible to notice at once.
The multiplicity of things to which the
motorists must pay attention at cross
tngs and road functions, he believes, is
an important cause of accidents.
: He pointed out that at single
junction there will be one or more stop
signs, several confusingly arranged sign
posts giving directions to towns, one
or more gasoline stations with glazing
advertisements, and four or five bill
boards. The latter he characterized as
q special nuisance, since many of them
contain an emotional appeal which
confuses the drivers mind He urged
that such confusion be reduced to the
minimum.
Simple Diagrams Urged.
Road directions, he said, should not
contain too much information, such as
names of unimportant towns, and shouted
be given as far as possible in pictures
and simple diagrams. This is the prac-
tice being adopted by many States 1t
Is the same principle, he said, as that
used in preparing profusely illustrated
text brokS for small children In per-
pleXity the mind of the motorist reverts
to a childish level
The committee has conducted inten-
sive studies of the colors to which the
eye Is most sensitive under varying
natural conditions, the clearest con-
trasting colcrs for auto tags and similar
subjects. One result of this study Is
the announcement that the best back
ground color for road signs is canary
yellow, which is practically equally
clear against the green, white and
brown natural backgrounds of the diff
ferent seasons. 1t also stands out with
dim illumination, such as that of dusk.
Upon this canary-yellow background
printing in black or green stood out
most clearly. Traffic authorities in most
cities, DR.. Lauer pointed out, have gone
ahead with practically no consideration
OF tine psychological and optical prin-
ctples involved. This has been especially
might almost have been intended to
render the tags as invisible as possible.
Thus the hght-blue letters on a white
background used by some States are
almost unreadable.
Color Lists Drawn Up.
The committee has drawn I'D a list of
the preferable color contrasts as fol-
lows:
Color of letters-Blue-green orange
red, orange yellow, yellow, violet blue.
Color of background-Bl ue-green, vel
low-green, blue, violet, red and yellow
orange.
This list is based on the sensitivity
OF the retina as measured experiment.
ally for the different colors under vary
ing conditions Of brightness. This Is
essentially the same for most persons
The committee has kept in mind. DR..
Lauer said, the principle that no auto
mobile accident is the result of pure
chance. There is always cause, either
In the makeup of the individual, the
car itself, or the environment. Prac-
tically all safeguards adopted. he said,
are Tor the benefit of the few. So far
as the majority are concerned, they all
could be abandoned and there would be
little, II any, increase in accidents.