Moth Effect

The Moth Effect (engl. For moths effect ) refers to the tendency of drivers to them fixed destination to head when the latter stands by light stimuli from the environment; for example on vehicles parked on the roadside at night or in particular on rescue and emergency vehicles with all-round beacons on . There have been hypotheses since the early 1950s that this behavior is responsible for a large number of accidents with emergency vehicles.

Whether there is actually a connection between the light stimuli from rotating beacons and the corresponding accidents has not yet been fully clarified.

tries

• The US state of Illinois has removed the beacons from 50% of emergency vehicles. The subsequent study showed that the vehicles without lighting were involved in 65% fewer accidents.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Evaluation of Chemical and Electric Flares (English)
2. ↑ Environmental variables in the "moth effect" ( Memento from April 7, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics (English)
3. ↑ POLICE VEHICLES AND LIGHTS ( Memento of August 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (English)

Web links

• Is The Moth Effect Real?
• http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/research/safety/vehicle.shtm
• http://www.policedriving.com/article145.htm