EFFECT OF ALTERNATIVE REDUCED LIGHTING TECHNIQUES ON HAZARD DETECTION

In this paper, the design and conduct of a controlled field experiment to measure the effect of five alternative reduced lighting techniques on individual driver detection of a simulated hazard on the road surface of an urban freeway are discussed. The results of this experiment demonstrate significant decrements in drivers' ability to detect a 6-in.-high, semi-hemispherical, 18 percent reflective gray target under normal freeway traffic conditions as alternative reduced lighting tactics are implemented. In relation to a roadway fully lit by 200-W high-pressure sodium lamps at 68 to 88 ft, staggered spacings, and 30-ft mounting heights, test subjects could detect the simulated hazard only as the distance to the target was progressively shortened for the following conditions: uniformly dimmed at 75 percent power, uniformly dimmed at 50 percent power, every other luminaire extinguished, one side of roadway extinguished, and no lighting. Further, subjective ratings of target visibility under these test conditions were in general agreement with the detection response data. Pavement luminance and horizontal illumination were both strongly associated with the pattern of results in the controlled experiment, whereas calculated visibility index (V.I.) values showed a slightly diminished but still strong association with the behavioral data.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1987/1149/1149-001.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=EFFECT+OF+ALTERNATIVE+REDUCED+LIGHTING+TECHNIQUES+ON+HAZARD+DETECTION&author=M.+Janoff&author=L.+Staplin&publication_year=1987
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309046599
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Visibility. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

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• Authors:
  • Janoff, Michael S
  • Staplin, Loren K
• Publication Date: 1987

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 1-7
• Monograph Title: VISIBILITY FOR HIGHWAY GUIDANCE AND HAZARD DETECTION
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1149
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Distance; Field tests; Freeways; Hazards; Human subject testing; Reduction (Chemistry); Street lighting; Urban areas; Visibility
• Uncontrolled Terms: Hazard perception
• Old TRIS Terms: Reduction; Urban freeways
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00476057
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0-309-04659-9
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 30 1988 12:00AM