U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
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Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
| REPORT |
| This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information |
 |
| Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-15-047 Date: August 2015 |
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-15-047 Date: August 2015 |
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The Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Safety Research and Development focuses on conducting research that promotes a safe driving environment while offering practical considerations to address the needs of practitioners. Roadway lighting offers significant safety benefits but also represents a substantial share of the operating budgets of agencies tasked with maintaining the lighting infrastructure. Therefore, there is a need to optimize the safety implications and budgetary considerations.
This report provides the details and results of a comprehensive investigation of the impact of light-source spectrum on driver visual performance. In a series of human factors experiments, the effect of overhead lighting and headlamp spectral p ower distribution was evaluated with respect to driver detection and recognition of large and small objects. The report also discusses the spectral interaction of headlamp and roadway lighting on the detection of pedestrians, including an evaluation of enhanced pedestrian detection through a momentary peripheral illumination mechanism of the vehicle headlamps.
Monique R. Evans Director, Office of Safety Research and Development
Notice
This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.
The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.
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The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.
TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE
| 1. Report No.
FHWA-HRT-15-047 |
2. Government Accession No. | 3 Recipient's Catalog No. | ||
| 4. Title and Subtitle
Evaluation of the Impact of Spectral Power Distribution on Driver Performance |
5. Report Date August 2014 |
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| 6. Performing Organization Code | ||||
| 7. Author(s)
Ronald B. Gibbons, Jason Meyer, Travis Terry, Rajaram Bhagavathula, Alan Lewis, Michael Flanagan, Caroline Connell |
8. Performing Organization Report No.
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9. Performing Organization Name and Address Virginia Tech Transportation Institute 3500 Transportation Research Plaza (0536) Blacksburg, VA 24061 |
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) |
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11. Contract or Grant No. DTFH61-10-C-00032 |
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| 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address
Office of Safety Research and Development Federal Highway Administration 6300 Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101-2296 |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered
09/24/2010–01/31/2015 |
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14. Sponsoring Agency Code
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15. Supplementary Notes The Contracting Officer’s Representatives were Clayton Chen and Abdul Zineddin, Office of Safety Research and Development. |
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| 16. Abstract
This project is a complete investigation of the impact of light-source spectrum on driver visual performance. In a series of human factors experiments, the effect of overhead lighting and headlamp spectral power distribution was evaluated with respect to driver detection and recognition of large and small objects and pedestrians. The potential for applying mesopic multiplying factors to roadway lighting was also evaluated, as was a momentary peripheral illuminator system’s effects on driver visual performance and eye-glance behavior. The results indicate that, although the momentary peripheral illuminator improved one measure of pedestrian detection, it was also a distraction to drivers. The results also indicate that at higher speeds, neither light-source spectrum nor mesopic multiplying factors apply, but mesopic multiplying factors are applicable to lighting design for lower-speed roadways and other nondriving environments. |
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| 17. Key Words
Light sources, Spectral effects roadway lighting, Roadway safety, Lighting levels, Lighting and safety |
18. Distribution Statement
No restrictions. This document is available through the National Technical Information Service; Springfield, VA 22161. http://www.ntis.gov/about/contact.aspx |
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19. Security Classification Unclassified |
20. Security Classification Unclassified |
21. No. of Pages 236 |
22. Price | |
| Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) | Reproduction of completed page authorized |
SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors
| ANCOVA | Analysis of Covariance | |
| ANOVA | Analysis of Variance | |
| BAT | Brightness Acuity Tester | |
| BSM | Binocular Simultaneity Method | |
| CCT | Correlated Color Temperature | |
| CIE | Commission Internationale d’Eclairage | |
| GPS | Global Positioning System | |
| HID | High-Intensity Discharge | |
| HPS | High-Pressure Sodium | |
| HSD | Honest Significant Difference | |
| IES | Illuminating Engineering Society | |
| K | Kelvin | |
| LED | Light-Emitting Diode | |
| MH | Metal Halide | |
| MOA | Minutes of Arc | |
| MOVE | Mesopic Optimization of Visual Efficiency | |
| MPI | Momentary Peripheral Illumination | |
| OD | Optical Density | |
| RLMMS | Roadway Lighting Mobile Measurement System | |
| S/P | Scotopic Output/Photopic Output | |
| SAE | Society for Automotive Engineering | |
| SNK | Student-Newman-Keuls | |
| SPD | Spectral Power Distribution | |
| TOF | Time of Flight | |
| UFOV | Useful Field of View | |
| VI | Vertical Illuminance | |
| VL | Visibility Level | |
| VTTI | Virginia Tech Transportation Institute |
