Evaluation of direction judgements based on turn signal guide lamp and behavioural responses

Abstract

Traffic crashes frequently occur at intersections because drivers or pedestrians cannot properly anticipate the direction towards which other vehicles are turning. A turn signal guide lamp was developed to improve the observer’s direction judgement of turn signals, and experiments were conducted to test the effect of the guide lamp based on behavioural responses. Our experimental results demonstrated that the turning direction judgement response time was reduced when both the turn signal indicators and turn signal guide lamps were used together compared with the case when only the turn signal indicators were used. Supplementary eye-tracking data also demonstrated that the gaze point frequently stayed on the light patterns on the ground marked by the turn signal guide lamps. Additional glare evaluation using the de Boer scale showed no significant difference between the turn signal indicator with a guide lamp and the turn signal indicator alone on dry or wet road surfaces. Therefore, it is expected that the newly developed turn signal guide lamp will increase the observer’s performance of direction judgement on the turn signalling function without causing an additional glare when the observer knows the function of the guide lamp.