The effects of a specific prompting sign on speed reduction

The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether a specifically worded prompting sign ("BEGIN SLOWING HERE") could reduce speeding where a highway entered an urban area with a residential speed limit. Speed measurements were obtained on vehicles at the start of the residential speed limit zone. Following a baseline period the prompting sign was introduced, removed and reintroduced. The results indicated that the prompting sign produced clear reductions in the percentage of motorists travelling 10, 15 and 20 km or more over the speed limit. These results suggest the importance of more specific road signs in influencing the behavior of motorists.