This study investigated how fog and characteristics of vehicle rear lights affect distance perception. Two experiments in a fog chamber (visibility of 5-15 miles) were run under conditions simulating nighttime fog. The participants gave verbal estimates of the distance of vehicles simulated by rear-light arrangements. Results reveal an average increase of 60% in the perceived distance of vehicles in fog as compared with normal visibility conditions. Distance overestimation was particularly pronounced when the vehicle had only 1 fog light instead of 2, and when the lights were close together. No effect of light height was noted. These results suggest that the perception of vehicle distance in nighttime fog could be significantly improved by the presence of 2 lights with maximal spacing. Actual or potential applications of this research include the design of rear vehicle lights.
Samenvatting