Reading the situation: The relationship between dyslexia and situational awareness for road sign information

• Novice drivers process road sign information situationally, in a hierarchy involving perception, comprehension, and projection.
• Novice drivers have a poor ability to project road sign information into situations where safe driving behaviour may be necessary.
• Poor reading ability amongst novice drivers is associated with poor situation awareness for road sign information.
• Novice drivers possess a visual attention deficit that manifests as poor situation awareness for road sign information.

Road signs are tools that provide crucial information to drivers about various roadway situations. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the levels of ‘situation awareness’ held by drivers in relation to these signs. This study also assessed the relationship between dyslexia, road sign comprehension, and road sign situation awareness, thus building on the limited research in this area. Drivers completed measures of road sign comprehension and dyslexia. Drivers then completed three drives on a driving simulator; each followed by a probe containing queries about the perception, comprehension and projection of road signs seen in the preceding drive. Situation awareness was lowest at the level of projection. Further, dyslexia was negatively associated with road sign comprehension, and road sign situation awareness, suggesting that the disorder may be detrimental for multiple forms of road sign processing. Implications are provided in the form of a ‘SAFE’ driver training program that targets a holistic form of road sign processing which takes into account sign meanings in relation to both in-vehicle and outer-vehicle factors; thus encouraging proactive driver behaviour.