S-F'S YELLOW CABS TEST "CYBERLITE"

THE YELLOW CAB COMPANY OF SAN FRANCISCO HAS INSTALLED ON 350 OF ITS TAXIS A CENTER-MOUNTED REAR LIGHT THAT FLASHES WHEN THE DRIVER APPLIES HIS BRAKES. THE PULSE RATE OF 1--7.6 FLASHES/SECOND IS A FUNCTION OF THE ABRUPTNESS OF BRAKE APPLICATION. IN THE FIVE YEARS PRECEDING INSTALLATION OF THE SYSTEM, THE COMPANY'S REAR-END COLLISION RATE WAS 16 MONTHLY; IN THE FIRST FULL MONTH THE RATE AMONG THE CYBERLITE-EQUIPPED GROUP FELL TO 2.6. IN ADDITION, OVER THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF TESTING THE AVERAGE COST PER ACCIDENT DROPPED FROM $305 TO $35. THE LIGHTS WERE INITIALLY SET FOR A MAXIMUM BRIGHTNESS OF 1700 CANDLEPOWER. BECAUSE OF COMPLAINTS THIS WAS REDUCED TO 600, AND THE COLLISION RATE IMMEDIATE ROSE FROM ONE IN TWO WEEKS TO SIX. A COMPROMISE WAS REACHED AT 1200, WHICH HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY A LEVEL RATE OF ONE REAR-END COLLISION PER WEEK.

• Corporate Authors:

  N/A

  ,   United States 
• Authors:
  • Goldrath, B
• Publication Date: 0

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 100-1
• Serial:
  • COMMERCIAL CAR JOURNAL
  • Volume: 124
  • Issue Number: 3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Braking; Crash rates; Flashers; Information management; Information, data, and knowledge; Rear end crashes; Taillamps
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00222072
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 15 2003 12:00AM