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Published on: February 18, 2021
High visibility safety apparel and nighttime conspicuity of pedestrians in work zones
James R Sayer1, Mary Lynn Mefford
1Human Factors Division, The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2150, USA. jimsayer@umich.edu
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.
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