Citation

Rumar K. J. Traffic Med. 1975; 3(2): 22-24.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1975, International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Both accident statistics and the characteristics of the human visual system indicate that night driving is a very difficult and consequently unsafe working environment for man. In order to analyze the night driving situation closer an effort was made to split it up into its separate components. The research methodology is briefly discussed. It is concluded that the perspectives of improving night driving vision itself are very discouraging. But there is some hope that the few persons with insufficient night driving vision could be picked out before they get their licence. Present training is not adequate and has to be changed. The main prospects, however, are to be reached by increasing the use of road lighting and more important in the days of oil crisis improved vehicle headlighting. Many present night driving accidents; e.g. hitting a pedestrian, are not accidents by the normal definition. They are bound to happen when two oncoming vehicles and a pedestrian appear in a special position relative to each other. We cannot learn to see when the light is insufficient. Polarized headlighting seems to be the only solution.