Nearly two-thirds of all fatal pedestrian collisions occur at night and previous studies have suggested that pedestrian fatalities increase as illumination decreases even when other factors are held constant. This study quantified drivers' ability to recognize pedestrians walking in place on the shoulder of the road at night, in the presence and absence of glare. Ten young (21-34 years old) and 10 older (60-75 years old) participants drove around a closed road circuit and responded when they first recognized a pedestrian. Four pedestrian clothing and two beam conditions were tested. Results showed that driver age, clothing configuration, headlamp beam, and glare all significantly affect performance. Drivers recognized only 5% of pedestrians in the most challenging condition (low beams, black clothing, glare), whereas drivers recognized 100% of the pedestrians who wore retroreflective clothing configured to depict biological motion (no glare). In the absence of glare, mean recognition distances varied from 0.0 m (older drivers, low beam, black clothing) to 220 m (722 feet; younger drivers, high beam, retroreflective biomotion). These findings confirm the importance of minimizing interactions between vehicular and pedestrian traffic at night, designing clothing to maximize visibility, and educating pedestrians on safe walking at night.
Samenvatting