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This research evaluated the effect of providing advanced left turn information to individuals faced with deciding whether or not it is safe to turn at a signalized intersection. Younger (mean age 37 years) and older (mean age 71 years) drivers were tested in simulations of approaching an intersection with and without advanced cueing. Experiment 1 used a featureless background; Experiment 2 used an animated presentation of traffic control displays. In both experiments the subjects had to determine whether or not they had right-of-way to make a left turn. Exaggerated error rates and increased decision latencies for displays conveying unprotected turn status occurred in both studies. Cueing drivers with advanced notice of the decision rule through a redundant upstream posting of sign elements improved both accuracy and latency of younger and older drivers′ decisions.

Deeply tinted window glass transmits less light than less deeply tinted glass and therefore reduces driver visibility. The task of looking through the rear window for hazards before backing a car was simulated in a laboratory setting with five targets (car, bicyclist, pedestrian, child, and debris) shown to drivers (ages 18-55, 56-75, and 76+) at various combinations of luminous transmittance of the windows and luminance (brightness) contrast of the targets. Analyses showed that the frequency of correct target detection varied by target. The car was always detected, but detection probability decreased with reduced luminous transmittance for the child and roadway debris targets. For the bicyclist, pedestrian, child, and debris targets, detection probability decreased with lower luminance contrast and for older age groups. The results suggest that the safety of backing maneuvers is compromised for all drivers at the darkest tinting levels studied. This is particularly true for elderly drivers for tinting levels darker than the 70% minimum luminous transmittance required by federal standards.