Influence of emergency vehicle flash lighting on driver perception The effects of

The effects of light color, intensity, modulation and flash rate on drivers when approaching and passing the accident scene at night were studied in depth.

Driving unrestricted routes at night with two blue, white, and red emergency strobe lights mounted vertically on two tripods were tested at the accident scene with different emergency lighting settings
Get the following test results

strength


Study actors agreed that advanced- intensity lights were more harsh, but only more so than lower- intensity lights. Lower intensity light remains largely visible. Using lower intensities at night will reduce uncomfortable light without reducing the visibility of the lights. This finding suggests that stationary vehicles in darkness blocking mode should be sufficiently visible in lower- intensity lights.

colour

The driver's rated visibility of the light appears to be related to the perceived achromaticity of its color. Blue and red have the most pronounced achromatism and are considered brighter than white and yellow of equal intensity. Blue and white are the most dazzling. Yellow and red are the least bright. This data shows that red warning strobes for fixed blocking operations can provide a stylish combination of better visibility and lower light.

high visibility mark

When fluorescent and reflective markings are present, motorists do not see firefighters until approaching it. This is the most unexpected finding of this study. 

Of the four settings tested, unmarked high-intensity lights produced the longest detection distance, meaning motorists could see firefighters from the very bottom. The combination of high-intensity light and high-visibility markers allows for the shortest discovery distance. Reflective markings may increase the amount of scattered light entering the driver's eyes, making them less conspicuous to the interrogator. This study raises the possibility that combining high-intensity lights with high-visibility markings may make it easier for motorists to see walking passersby at night, in fact, when passersby are wearing high-visibility vests. Further exploration is planned to determine whether lower-level reflective markings could help improve visibility for emergency interrogators working near emergency vehicles and businesses.