In this study, awareness and practice of daytime running lights (DRL) by local government and drivers were researched to find barriers to the introduction of daytime running lights. A questionnaire regarding practice and evaluation of DRL by local government was conducted for 47 prefectural governments and their capital city offices. Also driver awareness of daytime running light was surveyed by another questionnaire. Using daytime running lights is similar to switching on headlights before dark. Because many accidents happen during twilight, it is effective to switch on headlights before twilight instead of having them on it all the time. The authors call this "early switch on light" (ESL). As for local government and their capital cities, about 80 per cent of them had recommended drivers use either DRL or ESL. Most of them recommended ESL. As for driver, 67 per cent of respondents knew of DRL, but only 4 per cent always used them. The major reason for not doing so was fear of running down the batteries. It is remarkable that most drivers did not know the effect of DRL, so more scientific research and publicity about effects of DRL should be undertaken. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E214938.
Abstract