Author: Brian Chandler

On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people were killed in New York City, Washington, DC, and outside of Shanksville, PA, in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. It was a senseless act of violence. On September 12, 2001, approximately 115 people were killed in acts of impatience, imprudence, distraction, and neglect at dozens of roadway locations around the country. On September 13, 115 more were killed, and another 115 each day for the rest of the year. By the end of 2001 more than 42,000 people died in roadway crashes in the United States. Each was a senseless act of violence. And preventable.

These deaths are more than just numbers. They are mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, teachers and students, coaches and players, bosses and employees, friends and neighbors. The effect of roadway fatalities is widespread and far-reaching, its toll both economic and emotional.

But there is hope.

Over many years traffic safety professionals have made great strides to improve the safety of roadways, vehicles,and road user competencies. Roadway safety is now considered in the transportation planning process, roads are designed safer, and highway systems are operated to improve safety. All road users, including those not in motor vehicles, are experiencing a safer travel environment.

I have recently completed a textbook, Roadway Safety: Identifying Needs and Implementing Countermeasures, to introduce the basics of transportation safety to a wide audience. I would be honored if you would check it out. You can contact Momentum Press for multi-access purchasing options.

I began researching and writing about color vision deficiency and its effects on transportation in 2009. I’ll be reposting some previously-published articles here with hopes to continue the discussion.

The issue of color vision deficiency been largely ignored by transportation professionals. An estimated 6-12% of the male population has some sort of colorblindness, meaning roughly 5% of road users are affected. The effects are not well documented, but what is known is that color deficient drivers suffer a disadvantage on the roadway.

The topic is important because 90% of what drivers use to navigate is visual, and much of that information is color-specific. Traffic sign types are denoted by color, and pavement markings in the United States have different meanings if they are striped white vs. yellow. Traffic signals’ red and green indications — the two colors most often confused by color-deficient individuals — provide drivers with opposite messages: Red means stop. Green means go.

But to a color-deficient driver, and even more so to a true color blind driver, the colors have little or no meaning.

Grey means stop. Grey means go.

The purpose of Grey Means Go is multi-faceted:

1. Describe the problem and share the small amount of research literature available on color deficiency in transportation and advocate for additional studies on the topic.

2. Share best practices that have been implemented – mostly outside the United States – to help colorblind drivers:

3. Encourage transportation professionals to consider color-deficient road users during design, construction, and operation of transportation facilities.

4. Encourage readers to share their stories of driving with color deficiencies, with the hope of increased community and discussion of this important issue.

How does colorblindness affect you on the road?