지하 고속도로 경계부 및 출구부에서의 운전자 시각인지 특성 연구

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) The metropolitan area, comprising a mere 12% of the nation's territory, houses 50.6% of the population, resulting in significant traffic congestion. The utilisation of subterranean highways and tunnels has increased to mitigate this issue. However, abrupt transitions between darkness and light within tunnels present significant safety risks. This research investigates the influence of tunnel entrances and exit lighting design on driver visual adaptation and safety. The goal is to analyze the age-specific dark and light adaptation times to enhance the safety of driving environment in underground highways. (Method) The research methods employed in this study are as follows: Three representative underground highways were selected. The data collection focused on the lighting conditions within each tunnel and the changes in lighting at the entrance and exit zones. The data set comprised responses to a survey from drivers in the 20- 60 age range, documenting changes in their visual perception. The study examines the optical design of lighting intensity at the entrance and exit zones should be designed to facilitate drivers' visual adaptation. This analysis assesses the extent of visual stress caused by alterations in tunnel lighting, as well as how well the tunnel lighting reflects the dark adaptation (DA) and the light adaptation (LA) times and visual perception abilities of drivers of different ages. Lastly, the study evaluates how tunnel lighting design to facilitate drivers' visual adaptation, perceptual abilities, and overall safety, deriving improvement measures to promote drivers' safety and comfort. (Results) Research indicates that the time required for dark adaptation increases with age, particularly in individuals over the fifties. This is due to a delayed recovery of initial light sensitivity in the ageing process, leading to visual impairments affecting daily activities such as driving. It has also been discovered that tunnel lighting design significantly impacts dark adaptation times, underscoring the necessity for age-specific optimization of lighting design. Although no clear correlation was found between age and light adaptation times, these times generally tend to increase with age. These findings demonstrate the need to improve tunnel lighting designs to ensure that drivers of all ages can experience greater visual stability. (Conclusions) This study used surveys and interviews to analyze the times for dark and light adaptation experienced by drivers of various ages when entering and exiting tunnels. The findings confirmed that drivers require time to adapt visually due to sudden changes in light environments and highlighted that tunnel lighting design significantly influences this adaptation time. Notably, dark adaptation times tend to increase with age. This research suggests the findings can serve as foundational data for improving tunnel design and safety regulations. Future research using simulators and including more age groups and demographics is planned to enhance reliability and generalizability.