SURVEY OF VEHICLE LIGHT USE IN DAYTIME
To provide baseline information for assessing the effectiveness of daytime running lights (DRL), national surveys of daytime use of vehicle lights was conducted in 3 seasons (fall, winter, summer of 1981-1982). Surveys were made at 200 road sites across Canada selected using a multi-stage probability sample design. Observations were made for 2 one-hour periods selected to cover the diurnal spectrum approximately from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. Information was recorded regarding vehicle type, use of front lighting, headlamp configuration, as well as a number of relevant environmental factors. A photographic light meter was used to measure the ambient illumination. Analysis of survey data showed that weather was the most influential factor affecting the use of vehicle lights. The ambient illumination was found to show a fairly logarithmic relationship with DRL usage which increased rapidly as the ambient illumination level fell below 15,000 areas. Overall, the usage was 14.8% in the fall, 19.6% in the winter and 8.0% in the summer. The annual DRL usage in Canada was estimated to be 13.6%
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Corporate Authors:
Transport Canada
330 Sparks Street, Tower C, 8th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A 0N5 -
Authors:
- Ng, W
- Publication Date: 0
Media Info
- Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 87 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Data collection; Daytime running lamps; Environment; Headlamps; Luminosity factor; Rural areas; Seasons; Surveys; Twilight; Urban areas; Vehicle lighting; Weather
- Uncontrolled Terms: Seasonal variations
- Old TRIS Terms: Luminosity; Running lights
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00450125
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report/Paper Numbers: TP 5770E, HS-038 369
- Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
- Created Date: Nov 30 1985 12:00AM