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Citation |
Sayer JR, Mefford ML. J. Saf. Res. 2004; 35(5): 537-546. |
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Affiliation |
Human Factors Division, The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2150, United States. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2004, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
15530927 |
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Abstract |
PROBLEM: Every year numerous occupational fatalities result from pedestrians being struck by motor vehicles intruding into work zones. METHOD: Attributes of retroreflective personal safety garments on pedestrian conspicuity at night were assessed in a field study. Using instrumented vehicles on a closed track, participants drove through simulated work zones attempting to detect pedestrians located in the work zones. RESULTS: Configuration of the retroreflective trim, trim color, placement in the work zone, and driver age significantly affected pedestrian conspicuity. Intensity and the amount of retroreflective trim did not. DISCUSSION: Personal safety garments incorporating retroreflective trim significantly improve pedestrian conspicuity in work zones. SUMMARY: The results emphasize the importance of retroreflective trim on personal safety garments, particularly if the trim is located on garment sleeves. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: We examine the design attributes that contribute to making a personal safety garment conspicuous. The results have implications regarding preferred garment designs, industry standards, and service life of personal safety garments. |