A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE CRASH-REDUCING EFFECTIVENESS OF PASSENGER CAR DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS (DRLS)

The effectiveness of daytime running lamps (DRLs) for passenger cars are examined using three different crash types: two vehicle different direction fatal crashes, two vehicle non-fatal crashes, and single vehicle fatal pedestrian crashes. Two statistical techniques, the odds ratio and simple odds techniques, are used to analyze the data. An increase of 8% in daytime two vehicle opposite direction fatal crashes, for vehicles equipped with DRLs, is observed using the odds ratio technique. A decrease of 2% in daytime two vehicle opposite direction fatal crashes, for vehicles equipped with DRLs, is obtained using the simple odds technique. Neither result is statistically significant. Non-fatal two vehicle crashes from Florida, Maryland, Missouri, and Pennsylvania are also examined. Data from these states estimate that DRLs reduce non-fatal two vehicle crashes by 5 to 7% depending on the statistical technique used. The 7% reduction of daytime non-fatal two vehicle crashes using the simple odds technique is statistically significant at the p=0.05 level. DRLs reduce daytime fatal single vehicle pedestrian deaths by 28 to 29% depending on the statistical technique used. The reduction of 28% using the simple odds technique is statistically significant at the p=0.05 level.

• Record URL:
  • http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/Rpts/2000/DRL7_RPT.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/16000/16900/16969/PB2000106455.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 2000-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 33 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Crash data; Daytime running lamps; Fatalities; Pedestrian vehicle crashes; Statistical analysis; Traffic crashes; Traffic safety
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00791465
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-808 645,, Technical Report
• Files: HSL, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 3 2001 12:00AM