Research was undertaken to investigate the effects of warning beacon intensity on conspicuity, disability glare (the tendency to reduce the visibility of a target in the vicinity of a warning beacon), distraction and discomfort glare. A total of eight experimental trials were undertaken (five were laboratory based and three were conducted at an appropriate test site) using members of the public who were licenced drivers. The experimental work indicated that warning beacon conspicuity, as measured by the time taken to detect the warning beacon, is improved when higher intensities are used opposed to lower intensities. However, it was also found that as warning beacon intensity increases so do the disbenefits of disability glare and discomfort glare. The means for achieving a compromise between the benefits and disbenefits generated by high intensity warning beacons were investigated. For the covering abstract see ITRD E123380.
Samenvatting