PHYSIOLGIC - OPTICAL ASPECTS OF PARTICIPATION IN TRAFFIC

A FEW PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS WHICH ARE OF IMPORTANCE FOR THE PARTICIPATION IN MODERN TRAFFIC ARE DISCUSSED. VISUAL ACUITY TESTS WITH OPTOTYPES WERE DEVELOPED PRIMARILY TO MEASURE EYES QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY FOR GLASSES, BUT MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE TO DETERMINE DRIVING FITNESS AS MANY TRAFFIC SITUATIONS INVOLVE POORLY CONTRASTED OBJECTS; FOR EXAMPLE, A GRAY ON A GRIT ROAD. GLARE DUE TO SCATTERING OF LIGHT WITHIN EYE INCREASES MARKEDLY WITH AGE AND INCREASES THE NEED OF A POOR-CONTRAST ACUITY TEST FOR DRIVER LICENSING. THE BRIGHTNESS AND POSITION OF CAR'S REARLIGHTS SHOULD BE STANDARDIZED, BEFORE DISCUSSING SUCH UNIMPORTANT TOPICS AS BINOCULAR STEROSCOPIC VISUAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MOTORISTS. USE OF VARIOUS COLOR TESTS TO DETERMINE COLOR ANOMALY IS DISCUSSED. THERE ARE VERY FEW INDICATIONS THAT COLOR DEFECTIVES SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM DRIVING; THE CHIEF MOTIVE FOR CONTINUING THESE TESTS WOULD BE TO MAKE THE ASPIRANT DRIVER AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. LITTLE SIGNIFICANCE WILL BE PLACED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF DARK ADAPTATION FOR DRIVING. PHOTOGRAPHS AND FIGURES WHICH SUPPORT THE DISCUSSION ARE PRESENTED. /SRIS/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • 4 Pp, 9 Fig, 2 REF
• Corporate Authors:

  TNO INSTITUTE FOR PERCEPTION

  KAMPWEG 5, PO BOX 23
  SOESTERBERG,   Netherlands  3769 ZG
• Authors:
  • Vos, J J
• Publication Date: 1967-6

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Color; Driver licensing; Drivers; Glare; Taillamps; Vehicle lighting; Vision; Visual perception
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver psychology; Driver vision
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00220746
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 26 1970 12:00AM