Project Daytime Running Lights for cars

An ex ante analysis of the traffic safety measure "Daytime Running Lights" at the behalf of the UDV Unfallforschung der Versicherer

Traffic safety measure "Daytime Running Lights for cars"

Starting 02-07-2011, newly licensed vehicles have to have daytime running lights equipped. Some people support this step because of studies that promise a significant reduce in the number of accidents ( up to 25% ), while others fear for the safety of weaker traffic participants, especially motor cyclists.

On behalf of the UDV, one of the most important sponsors of road safety research, HFC tested the security measure “Daytime running lights” regarding safety issues and negative effects in collaboration with the Chair of Lighting Technology ( University of Technology, Berlin ).

Question

The project was designed as an ex ante analysis of the traffic safety measure “Daytime running lights”; that means the suspected or feared negative effect of it were to be tested in a series of experiments in the field, in the laboratory and the simulator.

The Questions raised were referring to:

• Advantages and disadvantages for car drivers and more vulnerable traffic participants
• Testing for sustainability of the effect
• Directly testing traffic junctions with a high rate of accidences
• Comparison Daytime running lights vs. dimmed headlights
• Controlling and checking for other influencing variables

Studies

• Driving study with 50 test persons in Germany and Denmark  ( Daytime running lights obligation ) with analysis of gazes on more than 2500 traffic participant
• Laboratory-based study in the light-testing facility of the University of Technology Berlin
• Simulator study in cooperation with the traffic psychology of the University of Technology Dresden

The combination of different research methods has a range of advantages:  it balances experimental control of laboratory / simulator studies with the realism of real test drives. The studies had different contentual foci, therefore basing on one another and complementing each other. Thus, a backed statement concerning the validity of the results can be made.

Metrology

• Test car with video recording equipment for recording driver and the vehicle's surrounding
• Eye-tracking
• Driving Simulation ( Software created by HFC) in the simulator of the University of Technology Dresden

Results

• Statements regarding advantages and disadvantages for cars and weaker road users
• Assessment of impact on accident occurrence
• Testing the dependence of events on a variety of influencing variables
• Statements regarding the validity of the results
• Assessment of the practical importance of the findings