Vehicle Lighting and the Aging Population
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UMTRI-98-9 VEHICLE LIGHTING AND THE AGING POPULATION Kåre Rumar June 1998 VEHICLE LIGHTING AND THE AGING POPULATION Kåre Rumar The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2150 U.S.A. Report No. UMTRI-98-9 June 1998 TechnicalReportDocumentationPage 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. UMTRI-98-9 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Vehicle Lighting and the Aging Population June 1998 6. Performing Organization Code 302753 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Rumar, Kåre UMTRI-98-9 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit no. (TRAIS) The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute 11. Contract or Grant No. 2901 Baxter Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2150 U.S.A. 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered The University of Michigan Industry Affiliation Program for 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Human Factors in Transportation Safety 15. Supplementary Notes The Affiliation Program currently includes Adac Plastics, BMW, Bosch, Britax International, Chrysler, Corning, Delphi Interior and Lighting Systems, Denso, GE, GM NAO Safety Center, Hella, Hewlett-Packard, Ichikoh Industries, Koito Manufacturing, LESCOA, Libbey-Owens-Ford, Magneti Marelli, North American Lighting, Osram Sylvania, Philips Lighting, PPG Industries, Reflexite, Stanley Electric, Stimsonite, TEXTRON Automotive, Valeo, Visteon, Wagner Lighting, 3M Personal Safety Products, and 3M Traffic Control Materials. Information about the Affiliation Program is available at: http://www.umich.edu/~industry/ 16. Abstract Old drivers and old road users in general, have high injury and fatality rates in road traffic. Furthermore, the proportion of old road users and old drivers will increase rapidly during the coming decades. Night travel has proven most difficult for old persons. The purpose of this study was to analyze this situation from the vehicle lighting point of view in order to propose vehicle lighting improvements that could be of special benefit to old road users. A literature review of current knowledge concerning age, visual performance, and accident involvement was carried out. This was followed by an analysis of the present vehicle lighting problems. Based on the results from these analyses, a number of proposals for improvements were presented. The main proposals concerning illumination systems are as follows: more illumination to increase visibility in spite of higher glare, wider illumination to improve road guidance, a softer cut-off to decrease aiming sensitivity, and keeping headlights clean and correctly aimed. The main proposals concerning signaling and marking lights are the following: two intensity levels (for day and night), small, high-mounted turn signals, and higher light-source reliability. Mandatory daytime running lights are proposed. Interior lighting should be improved in a number of aspects. All of these proposed improvements should be beneficial not only for old drivers, but also for other drivers. Finally, the visibility and safety effects are estimated, research needs are pointed out, and technical and economic problems are discussed. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement vehicle lighting, vehicle signaling, headlighting, age, old drivers, Unlimited literature review, improvement, countermeasures 19. Security Classification (of this report) 20. Security Classification (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price None None 94 i ii Acknowledgments Appreciation is extended to the members of the University of Michigan Industry Affiliation Program for Human Factors in Transportation Safety for support of this research. The current members of the Program are: Adac Plastics BMW Bosch Britax International Chrysler Corning Delphi Interior and Lighting Systems Denso GE GM NAO Safety Center Hella Hewlett-Packard Ichikoh Industries Koito Manufacturing LESCOA Libbey-Owens-Ford Magneti Marelli North American Lighting Osram Sylvania Philips Lighting PPG Industries Reflexite Stanley Electric Stimsonite TEXTRON Automotive Valeo Visteon Wagner Lighting 3M Personal Safety Products 3M Traffic Control Materials Appreciation is also extended to Michael Flannagan, Michael Sivak, and Robert Sweet for their valuable assistance in editing this report. iii iv Executive Summary The purpose of this study is to analyze existing literature and general knowledge in order to describe problems with present vehicle lighting systems (illumination, signaling, marking, conspicuity, and interior) related to aging road users, and to propose lighting modifications and measures intended to counterbalance such age-related problems. There are three main reasons for doing this study. One reason is that the number of old persons in road traffic during the next twenty-five years will increase faster than any other road user age group in the developed countries. Another reason is that old road users are found to have high risks in road traffic. The third reason is that nighttime driving is perceived by old persons as very difficult and dangerous. Initially a review is made of present knowledge concerning problems with old persons in road traffic. It is concluded that mobility is an important variable in present social and professional life. But old persons restrict their traveling substantially because they find it difficult and potentially dangerous. Concerning drivers, this self-restriction typically includes refraining from driving at night, on icy roads, in rush hour, in rain, through intersections, and in reverse. It is common to distinguish several aspects of aging. One aspect concerns the central nervous functions and is often called cognitive. The main effect of aging on the cognitive functions seems to be difficulties in handling complex and novel situations, especially under time pressure. This leads to divided- attention problems, missed stimuli, distraction, and long decision and reaction times. Several countermeasures have been proposed to reduce the high accident involvement of old road users. These fall into three general categories: (1) restrict the driving of old persons, (2) inform, educate, and train old persons about their driving capacities and risks, and (3) facilitate mobility for old road users (including drivers). Driving restriction is important for those who do not realize their own limitations, while information, education, and training can be helpful to those drivers and others. Finally, in order to participate in society and to continue to live active lives, old persons need mobility. Therefore the third approach—change the conditions so that the old persons can maintain their mobility—is the best countermeasure whenever it is possible. Another aspect of aging concerns physiological impairment, primarily of the senses. The impairment of hearing is of secondary importance to drivers, but it is of primary importance to pedestrians and cyclists. Vision is the main sense for moving in road traffic. There are many visual functions that deteriorate with age: decreased pupil size, more distant near point, smaller number of active receptors, decreased eye-movement capacity, reduced capacity to adapt to low light levels, reduced visual acuity, reduced contrast sensitivity, impaired peripheral vision, higher glare sensitivity and longer glare recovery, impaired color vision, and reduced speed and motion perception. Some of these deficiencies are related to changes in more central capacities. Examples of such functions are visual search, divided attention, and useful field of view. None of the relatively simple visual functions shows high correlation with driver accident involvement. However, more complex functions such as divided attention and useful field of view appear to be more predictive of accident involvement. v The performance of present vehicle lighting systems under realistic, real-world conditions is not fully reflected in how they perform when formally tested for compliance with regulations. Especially the illumination systems, but also the signaling systems, are designed for ideal situations and do not perform equally well in the full range of real traffic situations. To analyze the problems that old persons have with various vehicle lighting systems, and the countermeasures that could be suitable, three approaches were taken using accident data, knowledge about changes in visual performance with age, and finally a formal driver model. The conclusions from these analyses were used to make a number of proposals for modifications of vehicle lighting systems to facilitate visual tasks, especially for old road users. The main problem in adapting low-beam headlighting systems to the old road user is the balance between increased illumination for better visibility and decreased glare. It is suggested that, despite higher glare sensitivity, the old driver would benefit from more illumination. In order to decrease the sensitivity of headlighting to changing conditions (mainly road geometry) a comparatively soft cut-off is desirable. The headlights should be kept in better condition (with regard to aiming, dirt, haze, scratches, voltage, bulb failure, etc.) than is presently the case. Furthermore, because of the impaired road guidance experienced by old road users, more light along the road sides would be beneficial. Dual-level signal lights should be introduced in order to compensate for the reduced contrast sensitivity of old persons. Furthermore, the maintenance of the signaling and marking lights should be improved.