In general, the operation of large trucks involves many different types of maneuvers. The ¡°backing maneuver,¡± in particular, requires a higher level of driver attention due to a limited rear view. A growing number of trucks in the U.S. is equipped with rearview video systems (RVS) that can help the driver see much of the area behind the vehicle. Rearview video systems consist of one or more cameras and one monitor. It is expected that a rearview video system can help drivers reduce potential backing crashes. To evaluate the effectiveness of the system, this study performed a controlled driver test with 45 truck drivers. The test used three backing maneuvers and a pedestrian dummy to observe the potential crashes. The results showed that the use of an RVS increased the stop rate of the drivers duringthe Straight Line Backing manuever by 46.7 percent, which can be interpreted as the increase in odds of avoiding potential backing crashes during the backing maneuver. The stop rate increased 4.4 percent and 17.8 percent for the Offset Right Backing and Alley Dock Backing maneuvers, respectively. Driver age, commercial driving experience, and previous experience with an RVS did not show any statistical association with the increased stoprate, which means an RVS can be adopted by drivers quickly. In general, drivers showed positive attitudes toward using an RVS, and more than 90 percent of respondents agreed that an RVS can reduce the rear blind spot for large trucks.
Abstract