| Popis: |
The relative effectiveness of three bicycle rear warning devices (a red light, a red reflector, and amber pedal reflectors) was evaluated using slides of nighttime traffic scenes. Situational variables of target lane position and distance, and visual complexity of the scene were also manipulated. Performance was assessed in terms of detection accuracy and response latency. For both measures the red light was most effective in relatively difficult detection situations (distant target, noisy scene). At closer distances the three devices produced approximately equal performance rates, all significantly higher than for a cycle without rear warning equipment. The superior performance obtained when the bicycle was in the right lane position is consistent with previously reported data and implicates driver expectancy of cycle position as an important detection variable. The validity of these laboratory findings is currently being assessed in field trials. |
