Closed-Course Study of Driver Detection of Pedestrians beyond Flashing Beacons within Sign Assembly

This study evaluated the effect of yellow rapid flashing beacon characteristics on the ability to detect objects located behind a sign during a closed-course driving study sponsored by FHWA. For the analysis focusing on object detection distance, the results indicated that certain study assemblies were associated with shorter object detection distances. During the day, the object detection distance was shorter for objects behind an assembly with two rectangular beacons below the sign (R-B), as opposed to other beacon arrangements, such as two rectangular beacons above the sign and two circular beacons below or above the sign. At night, the detection distance to an object was shorter behind an assembly with R-B when compared with an assembly with two 12-in. circular beacons below the sign. These findings indicated that characteristics of the R-B, such as the light intensity or the location of the beacons, might negatively affect the driver's ability to see an object. For the analysis focusing on the accuracy of detecting objects, which considered the number of objects missed by the participants, the location of the beacons (above or below the sign) was significant during the day but not at night. During the day, participants were less likely to miss an object when the beacons were above the sign.