Data from the U.S. Fatal Accident Reporting System (1980-1993) were examined to test the hypothesis that age-related changes of vision are associated with increased involvement in fatal accidents under low illumination. A quasi-experimental analysis of 626,893 cases investigated the effects of light condition, driver age, and driver gender for two categories of fatal accidents, pedestrian/pedalcycle vs. all others combined. The investigation focused on monthly variations in the distribution of accidents occurring under three light conditions: 1) twilight zones, in which natural illumination varied on a monthly basis with the annual solar cycle; 2) daylight control; and 3) nighttime control. The present findings provide a new evidence that age-related changes in basic visual processes, which cause gradual deterioration of night vision, contribute to increasing involvement in fatal accidents, particularly with pedestrians and pedalcyclists, in low illumination. (A)
Samenvatting