Evaluation of Cost-Effectiveness of Steady-Burn Warning Lights in Work Zones

Author(s):  
LuAnn Theiss ◽  
Michael P. Pratt ◽  
Gerald L. Ullman ◽  
Stefanie D. Maxwell
Author(s):  
Kristin Kersavage ◽  
Nicholas P. Skinner ◽  
John D. Bullough ◽  
Philip M. Garvey ◽  
Eric T. Donnell ◽  
...  

Flashing yellow warning lights notify drivers about the presence of work along the road. Current standards for these lights address performance of the individual light but not how lights should function when multiple lights are used. In the present study, warning lights were used to delineate a lane change taper in a simulated work zone. Lights flashed with varying intensities and either randomly or in sequence, with lights flashing in turn along the length of the lane change taper, either to the right or to the left. In half of the trials, a flashing police light bar was used on a vehicle located within the simulated work zone. Participants were asked to drive a vehicle approaching the work zone and to identify, as quickly as possible, in which direction the taper’s lane change was (either to the right or left). Drivers were able to correctly identify the taper from farther away when the lights flashed in a sequential pattern than when the flash pattern was random; and the presence of a police light bar resulted in shorter identification distances. The results, along with previous research, can inform standards for the use of flashing lights and police lights in work zones for the safety of drivers and workers.


Author(s):  
Timothy J. Gates ◽  
Peter T. Savolainen ◽  
Tapan K. Datta ◽  
Prasad Nannapaneni

Author(s):  
Carlos Sun ◽  
Praveen Edara ◽  
Yi Hou ◽  
Andrew Robertson

Author(s):  
LuAnn Theiss ◽  
Jeffrey D. Miles ◽  
Gerald L. Ullman ◽  
Stefanie D. Maxwell
Keyword(s):  

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 552-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
MS Rea ◽  
JD Bullough ◽  
LC Radetsky ◽  
NP Skinner ◽  
A Bierman

Flashing yellow warning lights are important for worker and driver safety in work zones. Current standards for these lights do not address whether and how they should be coordinated to provide directional information to drivers navigating through work zones. A field study was conducted to assess driver responses to warning lights. The luminous intensities and flash patterns of warning lights along a simulated work zone were varied during daytime and nighttime. During the daytime, driver responses were relatively insensitive to warning light characteristics, although drivers preferred sequential and synchronised flash patterns over random, uncoordinated flashing. At nighttime, the combination of a temporal peak luminous intensity of 25 cd and a sequential flash pattern was optimal for providing directional information. A single initial warning light having a higher luminous intensity may help drivers detect the work zone without creating unacceptable visual discomfort.


1990 ◽  
Vol 54 (11) ◽  
pp. 688-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Jacobson ◽  
B Maxson ◽  
K Mays ◽  
J Peebles ◽  
C Kowalski

2004 ◽  
Vol 171 (4S) ◽  
pp. 42-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yair Latan ◽  
David M. Wilhelm ◽  
David A. Duchene ◽  
Margaret S. Pearle

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