00489621

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The first section of this paper presents the current state of the art of motor vehicle headlighting, covering the following topics: U.S. and European designs; aim and alignment; dirt, rain and fog as causes of reduced light; interaction with street lighting; future trends; glare disability; glare discomfort; glare from rearview mirrors; mounting height of headlamps; headlamp aim; headlamp washing and wiping; and factors other than those related to the design of the vehicle (e.g., reflective materials for traffic signs). In section two, changes to improve night-driving visibility are discussed. Areas where such changes appear to be warranted and feasible include aim and alignment of headlamps, the mounting height of headlamps, the reflectivity of rearview mirrors, the cleanliness of headlamps, and refinements to the meeting beam. Also discussed are environmental variables (their reflectivity) and how they affect visibility. The third and final section draws attention to research needs.

This paper appears in Transportation Research Board Special Report No. 218, Transportation in an Aging Society: Improving Mobility and Safety for Older Persons, Volume 2 - Technical Papers.

pp 379-403

1988

Transportation Research Board Special Report

0-309-04664-5

Print

Figures (2) ; References (42) ; Tables (3)

Aged drivers; Alignment; Cleaning; Design; Environment; Fog; Future; Glare; Headlamps; Height; Night visibility; Rainfall; Rearview mirrors; Reflectivity; Research; Soils; Street lighting; Trend (Statistics)

Dirt; Future research

Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Nov 30 1989 12:00AM

• CRASH PROTECTION FOR OLDER PERSONS
• DRIVER AND PEDESTRIAN TRAINING
• IMPROVING SAFETY FOR OLDER MOTORISTS BY MEANS OF INFORMATION AND MARKET FORCES
• POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN ROADWAY DELINEATION FOR OLDER DRIVERS
• RENEWAL LICENSING OF OLDER DRIVERS
• SIGN LEGIBILITY AND CONSPICUITY
• SIGNIFICANCE OF MOBILITY FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE ELDERLY
• THE MOBILITY NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY
• THE SAFETY OF OLDER PERSONS AT INTERSECTIONS
• VISION ASSESSMENT TECHNOLOGY AND SCREENING OLDER DRIVERS: PAST PRACTICES AND EMERGING TECHNIQUES
• VISION SCREENING FOR DRIVER LICENSURE