The Virginia Department of Transportation is making its signs, signals and pavement markings easier for older drivers to see.
VDOT, which estimates 13 percent of the commonwealth’s drivers are 65 or older, recently began using 6-inch-wide markings on pavement, instead of 4-inch-wide markings, to make the directions easier to see. In construction zones, VDOT is issuing new markings that are made out of paint that is easier to see at night and in wet conditions. The agency plans to use the paint for all pavement markings soon.
The department also is installing fluorescent yellow-green signs, which are easier to see than the old signs, at pedestrian and bicycle crossings. Bright orange signs are being installed to mark construction zones.
“Improved signage and pavement markings are helpful to all drivers, but particularly to seniors with limited sight and slowed reaction times,” said Ray Khoury, VDOT’s state traffic engineer.
VDOT’s initiative started last summer when the agency began using an easier-to-read font on signs and material to make the placards more reflective. National studies, Khoury said, make the signs 16 percent easier to read for older motorists.
“We are committed to researching and studying ways to make driving and navigating our roadways as clear and safe as possible for all motorists,” Khoury said. “These initiatives just happen to benefit older drivers in particular.”
