Road and Motorway Directorate of the Czech Republic - New information boards on the D1 motorway

What is displayed?

Variable information boards display information about the current traffic situation in the respective section of motorway or high-speed road in the area ahead of the table. Drivers are provided with vital information about situations affecting traffic safety and traffic flow. The information mainly pertains to traffic accidents, car fires, traffic obstacles, maintenance works, traffic jams and increased traffic density, deteriorated road conditions, reduced visibility and other meteorological conditions.



Information about traffic-relevant situations can only be made public when there is someone (employees of authorities, organisations or institutions) or something (telematic applications and transport information systems) which can communicate the information as soon as possible after the origination of the event to the National Traffic Information and Control Centre.
We obtain information about events on the basis of cooperation with the Police of the Czech Republic, the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic, the Health Rescue Service, road managers, road administration authorities, drivers, as well as other sources.



Telematic applications such as the road weather information system, the camera monitoring system, systems for monitoring traffic-flow characteristics and automatic traffic jam detection, line traffic control, etc. are a significant source of traffic information coming directly from roads and they will remain important after the completion of other systems.



We have been constantly building and extending a system for the collection and processing of traffic information within the implementation of the Unified System of Traffic Information for the Czech Republic so as to have available information about the highest possible number of current events in comparison with the real situation on the road. This process of operational improvement is ongoing.

How is the information displayed?

Variable information boards have a textual part which, in compliance with the respective legislation and regulations, can display a text in the scope of 3 lines, each containing 15 characters. In addition, the traffic information installation also comprises a variable information sign displaying pictograms, primarily in the form of information and warning traffic signs.



The 1st line primarily displays the name of the road, stationing of the place or section
example: "D1 45 km"
example: "D1 45-51 km"

The 2nd line primarily displays the type of situation or problem
example: "lorry accident"
example: "car on fire"
example: "closed"


The 3rd line primarily displays a recommendation or measure
example: "exit xx"
example: "slow down"
example: "one-lane traffic"

In the case of closing of a motorway or other emergencies, the texts will be displayed repeatedly on several variable boards preceding the problematic place or section, including information in English.

In a calm situation with normal, smoothly flowing traffic and problem-free weather, the time remaining to specified destinations will also be displayed after the completion of the 2nd phase of the telematic system installation (October 2009).
Until that time, the 'calm' situation texts are used.
example: "Drivers - observe - traffic rules"
example: "Keep - the permitted - speed!"
example: "Keep - a safe - distance!"
example: "traffic info - Radiožurnál - xx FM"

During the period of trial operation, notice of testing also appears on the boards. The trial operation serves for setting the command algorithms for controlling the boards on the basis of real situations on the motorway and will last until the end of January 2009.

Up-to-date information

Information is distributed from the National Traffic Information and Control Centre or published on variable information boards by mean of the RDS-TMC service for navigation equipment, on the www.dopravniinfo.cz website and through a data distribution interface for use in the programmes of radio and television stations or the traffic information service provided by telecommunications operators automatically or after being verified by the operator. This always occurs immediately after the National Traffic Information and Control Centre has received it from the Police of the Czech Republic, the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic, the Health Rescue Service, road managers, road administration authorities, drivers or telematic applications.

Although set up in a manner aimed at minimising the delay in transmitting, processing and publishing information, these processes require a certain non-zero time. It stands to reason that the information on the board cannot be displayed at the moment of the origination of a situation - it can only be displayed afterwards, after the situation is ascertained and information about it processed. It may also occur that, as information appears on the board at the interval of 10-20 minutes, a driver passes a board not bearing any accident warning and having travelled an additional 15-20 km, arrives at an accident scene without warning. Therefore, to obtain up-to-date information about the current traffic situation it is also recommended to use RDS-TMC navigation and, at the same time, to listen to traffic news broadcast on the green wave of Czech Radio.

Weather information can only be localised and intensity (for example, the intensity of rainfall or wind strength) determined approximately. There are neither systems nor possibilities that would identify the motorway sections with perfect localisation by km where there is fog and where fog has lifted. In addition, weather conditions develop dynamically and, accordingly, they can significantly change in time and space.

Why is information displayed?

Every driver always wants to arrive at his/her destination safely, smoothly, at reasonable cost, as quickly as possible, on a quality road, etc. - always with the MAXIMUM PERSONAL BENEFIT.

A number of conditions that cannot be fully precluded act against every driver attaining personal benefit.
- it is not possible to remove fog,
- the consequences of frost and snow in winter conditions can only be mitigated by snow ploughs and chemical materials, since salt or brine work according to chemical laws,
- the consequences of a traffic accident can be, with the best possible organisation of removal works, mitigated quickly, yet not in zero time,
- we can pass through a gridlocked section faster if every driver drives with the maximum concentration, smoothly, without striving to overtake or unnecessary protraction; only thus can the distances between cars be reduced and the traffic flow accelerate,
- everyone can help by clearing the way for rescue vehicles, which can arrive at the scene of a traffic accident quicker and thereby save human lives.

Some of these critical factors can only be partially reduced. It is therefore necessary to be aware of them and to take them into account.

Information about the current traffic situation enables all drivers to take the correct decisions before setting out on their journey and during its course according to the current traffic situation in such a manner that they always achieve the maximum available personal benefit.

Informed drivers drive more safely!