Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Graduate
Project Type
group
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
John Bullough, Ph.D., FIES: Program Director, Population Health Science and Policy Light and Health Research Center Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Scott A. Parr, Ph.D., PE: Assistant Professor Department of Civil Engineering Alec Sblendorio: Graduate Research Assistant Department of Engineering Physics Emily Hiebner: Graduate Research Assistant Department of Civil Engineering
Lead Presenter's Name
Alec Sblendorio
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor Name
Scott A. Parr
Abstract
Secondary crashes, including struck-by incidents are a leading cause of line-of-duty deaths among emergency responders, such as firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical service providers. The introduction of light emitting diode (LED) sources and advanced lighting control systems, provides a wide range of options for emergency lighting configurations. This study investigated the impact of lighting color, intensity, modulation, and flash rate on driver behavior while traversing a traffic incident scene at night. The impact of retroreflective chevron markings in combination with lighting configurations, as well as the measurement of “moth-to-flame” effects of emergency lighting on drivers was also investigated. The results indicate that higher intensity lights were judged consistently as more glaring, but were only rated as marginally more visible. The rated visibility of the lights appears to be related to the perceived saturation of the color, while discomfort glare is related to the amount of short wavelength spectral content. The results also suggest that the presence of very highly reflective markings may decrease drivers’ ability to see first responders working adjacent to their vehicles.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
Yes, Spark Grant
Effects of Emergency Vehicle Warning Lighting System Characteristics on Driver Perception and Behavior
Secondary crashes, including struck-by incidents are a leading cause of line-of-duty deaths among emergency responders, such as firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical service providers. The introduction of light emitting diode (LED) sources and advanced lighting control systems, provides a wide range of options for emergency lighting configurations. This study investigated the impact of lighting color, intensity, modulation, and flash rate on driver behavior while traversing a traffic incident scene at night. The impact of retroreflective chevron markings in combination with lighting configurations, as well as the measurement of “moth-to-flame” effects of emergency lighting on drivers was also investigated. The results indicate that higher intensity lights were judged consistently as more glaring, but were only rated as marginally more visible. The rated visibility of the lights appears to be related to the perceived saturation of the color, while discomfort glare is related to the amount of short wavelength spectral content. The results also suggest that the presence of very highly reflective markings may decrease drivers’ ability to see first responders working adjacent to their vehicles.