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Examinning how headlight glare may affect driver behavior,roadway safety |
| TheAllINeed.com/NC&T/RPI/ |
Now, through a two-year, $890,012 award from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), LRC scientists will further their work in this field. The LRC will examine the causes and effects of headlamp glare and develop technological solutions through advanced forward lighting systems designed to meet performance requirements while minimizing unnecessary glare.
"Recent headlamp technologies are presenting new oncoming appearances for drivers, which have resulted in increased complaints of glare to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration," said Mark Rea, Ph.D., LRC director. "To help assess the issue, the LRC is conducting research to examine the intensity, color, and size of oncoming headlamps and determine the effects of these parameters on visibility, as well as impressions of visual discomfort."
Some drivers may experience problems with visual re-adaptation — the ability of the eyes to recover their sensitivity to see objects after being exposed to glare. According to Rea, glare can be deceiving. A driver's visibility may be impaired by glare without the driver experiencing discomfort.
 | | Headlight glare may increase driver discomfort and result in poor visibility. (Photo: RPI) |
New headlamp systems presently promoted by lighting and vehicle manufacturers claim to provide drivers with additional visibility under certain driving scenarios. However, there are still many unanswered questions regarding how these new technologies relate to visibility, glare, driver behavior, and safety, according to the LRC research team now delving into these issues.
As the LRC scientists move ahead in their research, the team plans to outline what new aspects of headlamp systems should be further examined. The results of the research will be reported to Congress as part of the requirements of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), signed into law August 10, 2005, by President Bush.
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| About the Author |
ICRC ©2006 All rights reserved
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| Quotes | Heres tae the fool on the hill and his pals that are down in the valley.- Wolfstone, Glass and the Can
He thought the formula for water was H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O (H-to-O).
He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lampposts — for support rather than illumination. — Andrew Lang.
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