Senior Research Scientist John Bullough, Ph.D., was featured on WAMC's Academic Minute on August 9th. He discusses why streetlights might not always mike the roads as safe as you think. Listen to the audio interview here! WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a regional public radio network serving parts of seven northeastern states. |
Streetlights might not always make roadways as safe as you thinkTransportation Lighting and Safety
The Transportation Lighting and Safety group at the Lighting Research Center evaluates solutions for improving lighting, visibility, safety and security on vehicles, roadways, airplanes and runways, and in the workplace. Lighting is an important part of the safety toolbox, and rapid developments in lighting technologies demand new approaches for more efficient and effective use of energy to meet demands for safety in transportation and the workplace while reinforcing environmental stewardship. The LRC's approach of carrying science to safety is evidenced by the LRC's focus not only on a basic understanding of how we see, but also on real-world, field evaluations and demonstrations of sound approaches that have tangible benefits.
Several projects completed by the transportation group are sponsored by the Transportation Lighting Alliance (TLA). The TLA is a group formed of vehicle lighting manufacturers and the LRC to perform cooperative research and education on the roadway visibility system. Read more here.
Highlighted Projects
LED beacon lights on maintenance trucks are a safe, economical alternative to traditional rotating beacons
The next time you drive past a construction zone on a highway, you may notice that more highway maintenance trucks are using light emitting diode (LED) flashing beacons instead of traditional incandescent rotating beacons. A recent study by the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lighting Research Center (LRC), sponsored by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), has shown that LED beacon lights use less power without compromising safety.
Read More.
Novel Crosswalk Lighting Improves Pedestrian Safety
Reduced nighttime visibility is a probable contributor to pedestrian injuries and fatalities. Through the Region II University Transportation Research Center, the LRC completed a project for the New Jersey Department of Transportation to systematically evaluate different approaches to lighting at pedestrian crosswalks for improving pedestrian visibility and detection.
Read More.
Improving Pedestrian Safety with HID Headlamps
A study examining the stopping distances under different headlamp illumination conditions suggests that HID headlamps have a greater “safety margin,” or mean stopping distance, than halogen headlamps.
Read More.
Visual Performance from Automobile Headlamps Along High-speed Curves
Researchers at the LRC examined the impact of headlamp intensity on visual detection of small targets when entering high-speed curves. Results show that the relationship between headlamp intensity and visual performance depends upon the target's location and the amount of light on the target.
Read More.
Metal Halide and High-Pressure Sodium Lighting for Outdoor Applications
Metal halide lighting is gaining in acceptance for many nighttime applications. Researchers at the LRC have investigated the "quality" issues associated with the two lighting system types. HPS and MH installations were compared in terms of perceptions of brightness and safety.
Read More.
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