THE SIRENS OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES: EFFICIENCY AND DISTURBANCE

SIRENE DI VEICOLI DI PRONTO INTERRENTO: EFFICENSA E DISTURBO

This paper describes tests to determine how readily the direction and position of emergency vehicle sirens can be discerned by other drivers. Five types of siren (fan, klaxon, electromagnetic horn, pneumatic horn, and electronic siren) were tested, representing those in current use in Italy, Switzerland, Federal Germany, England and California (USA). Sixteen cars and four buses were used in tests of typical traffic situations, the driver of each vehicle being required to indicate on a form his own perception of the direction of the siren. The California and German two-tones, followed by the Italian continuous, were the easiest to locate. The German and Swiss sirens were shown to claim the most attention (the former being also the most painful). These were followed (from the "attention" point of view) by the California wail, the English siren, the California two-tone, and lastly the Italian siren and the California yelp. The California sirens were the most agreeable, followed by the Swiss, the English and the German. The Italian sirens were the worst in this respect. Diagrams illustrate test results. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Casa Editrice la fiaccola

  Via Carlo Ravizza 62
  Milano,   Italy 
• Authors:
  • Campolongo, G
• Publication Date: 1976-10

Language

• Italian

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 955-969
• Serial:
  • Rivista della Strada
  • Volume: 45
  • Issue Number: 423
  • Publisher: Casa Editrice la fiaccola

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acoustic measuring instruments; Acoustics; Automobiles; Buses; Economic efficiency; Emergency vehicles; Horns; Location; Measurement; Sirens; Sound
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Old TRIS Terms: Acoustic measurement
• ITRD Terms: 5911: Efficiency; 1366: Horn; 9061: Location; 6136: Measurement; 6748: Sound
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00149710
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Analytic
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 22 1977 12:00AM