DIPPED HEADLIGHTS AND ROAD SAFETY
The conflict between the use of dipped headlights and the luminance contrast requirements of modern street lighting is discussed in this paper presented to the conference of the Association of Public Lighting Engineers at Ayr in September 1979. Under fixed road lighting objects are revealed to a motorist by appearing darker than their background. The author examines the effect of glare and the veiling luminance over the retina showing how the use of dipped headlights in a properly lit road can produce a threshold increment of 70 per cent. Because the presence or movement of vehicles with dipped headlights is more easily detected by pedestrians, it is recommended that all vehicles should be equipped with lights powerful enough to be seen without causing serious disability glare. Statistical evidence shows that accidents are reduced by using dipped headlights on poorly-lit roads, but increased on well-lit roads. (TRRL)
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Corporate Authors:
Association of Public Lighting Engineers
78 Buckingham Gate, Westminster
London SW1E 6PF, EnglandInstitution of Public Lighting Engineers
Lennox House, 9 Lawford Road
Rugby, Warwichshire, England -
Authors:
- Harthill, P
- Publication Date: 1979-12
Media Info
- Features: References;
- Pagination: p. 239-241
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Serial:
- Public Lighting
- Volume: 44
- Issue Number: 187
- Publisher: Association of Public Lighting Engineers
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Brightness; Conferences; Crash rates; Crashes; Glare; Headlamps; Low beamed headlamps; Luminance; Street lighting; Visibility; Vision
- ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 8525: Conference; 1340: Dipped headlight; 1677: Glare; 545: Lighting (street); 525: Luminance; 2066: Vision
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00311734
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
- Report/Paper Numbers: HS-030 127
- Files: HSL, ITRD, TRIS
- Created Date: Nov 19 1983 12:00AM