Evaluating the safety implications of glass curtain wall LED media façade on night-time driving: The driver’s perspective

Abstract

The presence of glass curtain wall LED media façade (G-L-M) along roads has disrupted the ambient light environment, impeded drivers’ visibility and posed potential risks to night-time driving safety. This study investigates the effects of G-L-M technical parameters on driving distraction by constructing night-time simulation scenarios and obtaining the driver’s reaction time for recognising small targets. The study revealed that the field of view, colour and state of G-L-M are the most crucial factors, whereas luminance and area have relatively minor effects. Specifically, the G-L-M located in the fovea centralis and peripheral field of view regions (−30° to −15°) were more likely to cause driving distraction than those in the central field of view. Red, green and blue are associated with higher reaction times and failure rates, whereas white has the lowest reaction time and failure rate. Additionally, we found that the difference between high and low luminance was not significant. However, appropriate high luminance can enhance the recognition rate of small targets. Dynamic G-L-M significantly increases reaction time compared to static G-L-M. This study can provide a reference for assessing the effects of G-L-M to ensure night-time roadway driving safety and for formulating future regulations and designing G-L-M lighting.