Determination of Optimal Intensities and Periods for Vehicle-Mounted Warning Lights Using Field Experiments

Increasing the safety of work zones and other locations where frontline service workers are present is important to reduce the potential for crashes involving passing vehicles and the workers. Flashing yellow warning beacons are often used to protect, delineate, and provide visual information to vehicles within and approaching work zones. Different intensities and flash frequencies of truck-mounted warning beacons allow drivers to identify front line service workers present outside of vehicles sooner. Field studies of workers (with and without reflective vests) present outside trucks were simulated to identify ideal combinations of warning beacon intensities and flash frequencies. This study determined that intensities of 25/2.5 cd and 150/15 cd provided the longest detection distance of the simulated worker. Although a flash frequency of 1 Hz resulted in the longest mean detection distance, this frequency was not statistically different from the 4 Hz flash frequency. Workers wearing reflective vests were seen the furthest distance away from the trucks for all combinations of intensity and flash frequency.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHB50 Standing Committee on Traffic Control Devices. Alternate Title: Determination of Optimal Intensities and Periods for Flashing Yellow Warning Beacons Using Field Experiments
• Authors:
  • Kersavage, Kristin
  • Skinner, Nicholas P
  • Bullough, John D
  • Garvey, Philip M
  • Donnell, Eric T
  • Rea, Mark S
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
• Date: 2018

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 6p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Protective clothing; Street lighting; Visibility; Warning devices; Work zone safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01656606
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 18-01222
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 19 2018 12:20PM