Visibility of Winter Operations Vehicles: The State of Practice in the United States

Despite precautions taken by the operators of maintenance vehicles, insufficient visibility of winter operations vehicles causes many collisions in the United States. Numerous methods have been developed to enhance the visibility of winter operations vehicles. Although these methods have improved the visibility of winter operations vehicles, information regarding the current state of practice of these methods is crucial for the safety of winter operations vehicles, and commuters. For safer winter operations, it is critical to investigate the differences, similarities, and challenges associated with the existing methods for enhancing the visibility of winter operations. This research examines the differences, similarities, and challenges associated with these methods using a survey to collect information from state transportation agencies. Questionnaire distribution included all 50 states to investigate patterns among the states and 25 Texas Dept. of Transportation (TxDOT) districts to gather the state of practice of the operations vehicles' visibility methods. Results of the survey brought forward the inefficiencies of some current visibility methods. For example, rear airfoils were reported to be ineffective, while many state DOTs use and maintain the airfoils despite the inefficiencies. Although a wide range of dissimilarities was found in the use of message signs and retroreflective markings, they are reported to be inexpensive and effective. It is expected that the findings of this study help transportation agencies implement more effective methods for enhancing the visibility of winter operations vehicles.