Driver Understanding of the Flashing Yellow Arrow and Dynamic No Turn on Red Sign for Right Turn Applications

Since their introduction to the 2009 Edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, flashing yellow arrows (FYA) have had significant success in communicating the permissive turn message. While widely used for the permissive left turn maneuver, agencies recently have been utilizing flashing yellow arrows for the use with right turn applications as drivers interact with crossing pedestrians. As pedestrian conflicts are a concern during the permissive green phase, there is additional worry for the potential interaction between a pedestrian and vehicle turning right on red. This research explores the existing driver comprehension of permissive right turns during both green and red phases through static evaluation and microsimulation. Proposed traffic devices including the FYA and the Dynamic No Turn on Red sign were evaluated in relation to the existing signal and sign conditions implemented in the field. In comparing the proposed FYA to the existing circular green signal, the survey evaluation determined a statistically significant increase in drivers’ yielding responses when interacting with the FYA as opposed to the circular green. Through application of the VISSIM program, it was determined that right turning speeds with the FYA present were significantly lower than when interacting with solely the circular green. Both the static evaluation and microsimulation determined a strong similarity between the existing circular red and R10-11 sign and the proposed dynamic no turn on red sign which verifies the strong understanding drivers have of the message and the sign itself