What Makes a Good Traffic Sign?
Good traffic signage is easy to take advantage of. Like bridges, cars, and pretty much any infrastructure, you never really think about traffic signs until they don’t serve their purpose. In the case of traffic signs, “not serving their purpose” can mean anything from not giving drivers any meaningful information at all to giving them the wrong idea entirely.
That being said, when so few people recognize traffic signs unless something has gone wrong, how do we know how to design traffic signs in ways that we’re confident they’ll work as intended? In today’s blog post, we’ll be discussing how we spot and create strong traffics sign designs.
Allowing for Understanding in Moments
Perhaps the most critical aspect of making a good traffic sign is creating a design that a driver can comprehend at a glance while in the throes of busy roadways or inclement weather. Simultaneously, strong traffic signage should be eye-catching without being distracting. Striking this balance can be difficult when designing a custom traffic sign, but is far from impossible.
When designing a traffic sign, the first step is to know your intention as crystal clearly as possible. Figuring out exactly what you’d want a motorist to do when they see your sign is critical when designing your signage. Then, making your sign only as complex as it needs to be to get your message across is absolutely crucial. Remember, motorists should be able to tell what you’re trying to communicate at a glance.
Planning for Suboptimal Conditions
Strong signage also plans for suboptimal driving conditions. Arguably, these are the times when strong signage matter most. Motorists who are stressed and driving through heavy rain during a traffic jam are going to need as much clear direction as possible to maximize roadway safety.
To proof your work for suboptimal conditions, consider using an LED edge lite sign. These signs use lights to draw the eye and to cut through inclement weather and the stresses of traffic. If you’re a private business owner looking to direct traffic around your private property, these signs are ideal for ensuring customers begin their experience with your business on the right foot. If a customer arrives stressed out from trying to navigate traffic, they’ll already be primed to have a negative customer experience.
These two rules of creating good signage—designing for quick understanding and planning for suboptimal conditions—are absolutely crucial for creating strong, helpful signage. If you’re interested in procuring your own signs for the roadways, contact us here to get a hold of the best signage possible.
