Railroadcrossing sign with lights

VirTra’s VR police training simulators help prepare law enforcement officers for real-life incidents so they and the communities they serve can remain safe. Each real-world judgmental use of force training simulator has immersive and intense scenarios that provide an in-depth look into human performance. The demands on law enforcement to make critical decisions in tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving situations require that the human performance aspect of cognitive neuroscience and human physiology are taken into account as part of the police training methodology. Research on how to best use simulator technology is taken into account within what VirTra does. Training scenarios are filmed in superior quality and contain the full fidelity of real actors—thus eliminating ‘video game’ training. VirTra’s extensive branching options further increase the realism by allowing scenarios to unfold based on the instructor, trainee or team’s decisions.

Roadway signs in the United States increasingly use symbols rather than words to convey their message. Symbols provide instant communication with roadway users, overcome language barriers, and are becoming standard for traffic control devices throughout the world. Familiarity with symbols on traffic signs is important for every road user in order to maintain the safety and efficiency of our transportation facilities.

Railroadcrossing sign meaning

Real life events are rarely simple, which is why VirTra designed each training scenario to be complex. Through extensive branching options, each scenario can unfold based on the decisions made by the trainee while inside the police training simulator. This ability allows a team’s resilience and accuracy to be tested repeatedly with consistent training throughout. These scenarios are designed to teach critical concepts, such as: officer presence, communication skills, verbal and non-verbal cues, de-escalation, less-lethal, use of force and more.

Railroadcrossbuck sign

A critical element of any training regimen is the debrief. Through VirTra’s simulations, instructors have the ability to pause the scenario mid-scene or wait until scenario completion before reviewing the trainee’s performance. Simulation debriefing abilities includes overlaying actions on the scenario, such as the exact time and location of the trainee’s shot. Instructors are also provided resources to improve report writing, maximizing training outside of the law enforcement simulator.

Hard copies of the MUTCD can be purchased from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (http://www.aashto.org); the Institute of Transportation Engineers (http://www.ite.org); the American Traffic Safety Services Association (http://www.atssa.com); and the US Government Printing Office (http://www.gpo.gov). The Standard Highway Signs book can be purchase from the US Government Printing Office and the American Traffic Safety Services Association through the web sites listed above.

VintagerailroadCrossing sign

Test your Sign IQ by taking the interactive shape and color quiz available on the web at https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov. On the navigation bar under Knowledge, select Sign Shape/Color.

Sign shape can also alert roadway users to the type of information displayed on a sign. Traffic regulations are conveyed in signs that are rectangular with the longer direction vertical or square. Additional regulatory signs are octagons for stop and inverted triangles for yield. Diamond-shaped signs signify warnings. Rectangular signs with the longer direction horizontal provide guidance information. Pentagons indicate school zones. A circular sign warns of a railroad crossing.

Railroadcrossing sign shape

Each law enforcement training simulator is equipped with V-VICTA®—Virtual Interactive Coursework Training Academy—which teaches, trains, tests and sustains law enforcement officers. The program’s certified curriculum and interactive coursework are developed exclusively with nationally-recognized partnerships for maximum training both inside and out of the police simulator. VirTra’s constant improvements, evolution and intensity of new training products and tech stem from our clientele feedback and involvement, including U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, FLETC, Utah Attorney General’s Office, Denver PD, Dallas PD, Inglewood PD, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Australian Border Force and many more worldwide.

For More Information: https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ Contact Information: Kevin Sylvester at Kevin.Sylvester@dot.gov

Prepared in 2002 by the US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Office of Transportation Operations

What made us choose VirTra was the options it had that would enhance what we were currently doing. We saw there was a lot more application, more realism and opportunity to integrate some of the stuff we saw coming related to the force option from verbal de-escalation all the way through lethal force.

Railroadsign

Showcased below are just a few sample videos of actual VirTra law enforcement training scenarios. We don’t just say what we do – prove it in actual videos. Watch as trainees practice crisis intervention, building empathy and clear communication through a variety of situations—including active shooter, de-escalation and mental illness.

Standards for the sign design and application of the signs shown here as well as for other traffic control devices are contained in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Dimension drawings for signs can be found in the Standard Highway Signs book. Both of these books are available in electronic format online at https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov. This web site also contains information on standard lettering used on highway signs and pavement markings and on highway sign color specifications.

The color of roadway signs is an important indicator of the information they contain. The use of red on signs is limited to stop, yield, and prohibition signs. A white background indicates a regulatory sign; yellow conveys a general warning message; green shows permitted traffic movements or directional guidance; fluorescent yellow/green indicates pedestrian crossings and school zones; orange is used for warning and guidance in roadway work zones; coral is used for incident management signs;** blue indicates road user services, tourist information, and evacuation routes; and brown is for guidance to sites of public recreation or cultural interest.

**The use of coral for incident management signs was anticipated for inclusion in the 2003 edition of the MUTCD at the time of this printing.