On impact of vehicle headlights contamination with products of road chemical deicing agents upon pedestrian visibility on unlit roads

Abstract

The goal is to determine consistent patterns that characterize the impact of vehicle headlamps contamination caused by products of chemical deicing agents treatment (PCDAT) used on the roads on the driver’s ability to see pedestrians on unlit roads. The analysis of theoretical works devoted to the impact of vehicle headlamps contamination with PCDAT upon their lighting the road was carried out. The authors conducted experimental studies of the process of contaminating vehicle headlights with PCDAT used on roads in winter under the real traffic conditions as well as measurements of luminous intensity of the contaminated headlights. Experimental studies of a pedestrian’s visibility on the side of a dark unlit road under the conditions of headlights contaminated with PCDAT were carried out. The authors developed the procedure of experimental studies to measure the distance of pedestrian visibility on a dark road with passing and driving beam headlights. The patterns that characterize the impact of vehicle headlamps contamination caused by PCDAT upon the driver’s ability to see pedestrians on unlit roads were determined. The results of the experiments are presented as tables, graphs and equations reflecting the new data. They relate to the consistent patterns of the impact of vehicle headlamps contamination caused by PCDAT on the driver’s ability to see pedestrians on an unlit road side in winter. The graphs allow analyzing the influence of vehicle headlamps contamination with PCDAT upon the driver’s ability to see pedestrians on the side of unlit roads in winter.