THE EFFECT OF VEHICLE INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEMS ON DRIVER SIGHT DISTANCE. FINAL REPORT

A study was conducted to measure the effect of various vehicle interior lighting systems on driver sight distance at night. A new lighting system, in which the sources were contained in the rearview mirror, was compared with the standard system and a control (no lights) in three different vehicles for both forward and rearward visibility. It was found that turning on the interior lights could reduce forward sight distance by as much as 20%. The effect was much more pronounced for rearward sight distance. The new lighting system was better than the standard system in two of the three cars for forward sight distance, and better in all three for rearward sight distance.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

  2901 Baxter Road
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109-2150
• Authors:
  • Olson, P L
• Publication Date: 1985-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 14 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Interior lighting; Motor vehicles; Night; Night visibility; Rearview mirrors; Sight distance; Visibility
• Old TRIS Terms: Rear view
• Subject Areas: Highways; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00495620
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTRI-85-31, HS-039 506
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 31 1990 12:00AM