VEHICLE DESIGN ELEMENTS AFFECTING TRAFFIC SAFETY EFFECTIVENESS OF SIDE MARKER LAMPS

VSDSS REPORT #9 CONCERNS ITSELF WITH THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SIDE MARKER LAMPS IN INCREASING VEHICLE VISIBILITY AND HENCE REDUCING THE NUMBER OR THE SEVERITY OF INTERSECTION ACCIDENTS OCCURRING IN DARKNESS. THE FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS MANDATED SIDE- MARKER LAMPS ON ALL 1968 AND SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. THUS THE STUDY GROUP CONSISTED OF 1968 AND 1969 MODEL VEHICLES WITH SIDE MARKER LAMPS AND A CONTROL GROUP OF 1965-1967 MODEL VEHICLES WITHOUT THIS FEATURE. THE STUDY WAS CONTROLLED FOR LIGHT CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENTS. THIS STUDY CONCLUDES THAT SIDE MARKER LAMPS DO SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE THE NUMBER AND THE SEVERITY OF INTERSECTION ACCIDENTS OCCURRING DURING DARKNESS. TO A LESSER EXTENT, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE VEHICLES WITH SIDE MARKER LAMPS WERE INVOLVED IN FEWER DAYTIME INTERSECTION COLLISIONS AND THESE COLLISIONS WERE NOT AS SEVERE AS THE COLLISIONS INVOLVING OLDER VEHICLES. /AUTHOR/

  • Corporate Authors:

    New York State Department of Motor Vehicles

    Governor Nelson A Rockefeller Empire State Plaza
    Albany, NY  United States  12228
  • Authors:
    • Negri, D B
  • Publication Date: 1971-5

Media Info

  • Features: Tables;
  • Pagination: 13 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00223840
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Aug 7 1972 12:00AM