The Midland Journal

A pedestrian wearing dark clothing but displaying a white handkerchief is visible to approaching motorists on unlighted highways at a distance of 291 feet. Without the handkerchief, or other white object, the visibility distance is reduced to 195 feet.

This is one of the findings in the Massachusetts Accident Survey studied by safety officials of the Keystone Automobile Club of Maryland with a view to applying the practical lessons to accident prevention in this locality. Garrison P. Knox, Manager of the Club, believes the conclusions with respect to pedestrians to be one of the most important features of the survey.

"It is shown," he said, "that while a pedestrian, on an unlighted highway, with no car approaching from the opposite direction, may be seen by a driver under normal conditions at a distance of 195 feet, this visibility distance is shortened by 20 feet if another car approaches with the depressed beam in use. If the approaching car is using the legal raised beam, the distance is lessened from 195 to 139 feet, and if the approaching car has glaring lights the pedestrian can be seen only from a distance of approximately 95 feet.

"By carrying some white object the motorist increases his visibility to 291 feet with no other car approaching; to 285 feet when the car approaching uses depressed headlight beams; to 230 feet when the approaching car uses the legal high beam, and to 164 feet when the lights on the approaching vehicle are glaring. The visibility distance is very appreciably increased over these figures when the pedestrian wears light colored clothing.

"Obviously, pedestrian accidents can be avoided by keeping motor cars at such speeds that they can be stopped, if necessary, within the pedestrian-visibility distance. Walkers can in great measure assure their own safety by carrying some white object. The importance of this conclusion of the survey cannot be overestimated."