TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1982//
TI  - Nighttime legibility of traffic signs: conditions eliminating the effects of driver age and disability glare
JO  - Accident analysis and prevention
A1  - Sivak, Michael
A1  - Olson, Paul L.
SP  - 87
EP  - 93
VL  - 14
IS  - 2
N2  - The effects of observer age and environmental glare on nighttime legibility of traffic signs were investigated in two field experiments with the subjects driving or riding in a car towards a sign. Experiment 1 showed that equating older and younger subjects in terms of their low luminance/high contrast visual acuity resulted in elimination of any age effects on legibility. Furthermore, the presence of a glare source with an illuminance of 0.17 or 0.017 lux offset 2[deg] from the sign legend improved legibility distance significantly. The results of Experiment 2 indicated that a glare source with an illuminance of 0.0098 lux had no effect on legibility when presented at an offset angle of 1.5[deg] or 0.6[deg], but it had a significant detrimental effect at an offset angle of 0.2[deg]. The present findings suggest that (1) the usually observed age-related performance decrement on nighttime legibility tasks is the result of visual-acuity deficits, and not shortcomings in information-processing ability; (2) legibility is relatively unaffected by glare, unless the glare angle is very small or glare level very high; and (3) glare sources positioned outside of the fovea might improve nighttime legibility performance under certain conditions.<p />
LA  - en
SN  - 0001-4575
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -