NTL Record

Title Impacts of LED Brightness, Flash Pattern, and Location for Illuminated Pedestrian Traffic Control Device
Record ID 61525
Personal Name
Creator
Fitzpatrick, Kay; Avelar, Raul; Robertson, James
Corporate Creator Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Research, Development, and Technology
Publisher United States. Federal Highway Administration
Publication Date 20150501
Language English
Abstract Illuminated traffic control devices, such as rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB), have been shown to increase the number of drivers yielding to crossing pedestrians. There is some concern that the brightness of flashes at or contained within signs at night may make it difficult for drivers to detect and observe the movements of pedestrians at the crossing. To prevent devices from being set at brightness levels that produce disability or discomfort glare, the profession needs to quantify the effect of illuminated traffic control devices on a driver’s ability to detect pedestrians in and around the crosswalk. This TechBrief describes the methodology and results from a closed-course study sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that addressed brightness, flash patterns, and location of light-emitting diodes (LED). It examined driver detection of cutout pedestrian photographs in the presence of LEDs of various brightness levels and flash patterns, which are placed in different locations within the sign assembly.
Rosap ID dot:35933
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/35933
TRT Terms Brightness; Crosswalks; Drivers; Flashing beacons; Light emitting diodes; Pedestrians; Traffic control devices
General Subjects Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure; Rectangular rapid-flashing beacon; Flash patterns; LED brightness; Pedestrian crossing; Driver yielding to pedestrians; Embedded LED signs
Geographical
Coverage
United States
TRIS Online
Accession No
1567329
Report Number FHWA-HRT-15-042
Availability Federal Highway Administration
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/61000/61500/61525/15042.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository