Boston Blind Zone Safety Initiative: Current Fleet Analysis, Market Scan, and Proposed Direct Vision Rating Framework

Details

• Creators:
  Brodeur, Alyssa ; Englin, Eric ; Epstein, Alexander K. ; Vennema, Alessandra
• Corporate Creators:
  John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.). Safety Management Systems Technical Center
• Corporate Contributors:
  Boston Public Health Commission
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Vision
  • Field of vision
  • Blind spots
  • Pedestrian safety
  • Pedestrians
  • Cyclists
  • Vehicle design
  • Heavy duty trucks
  • Geometric design
  • Bicycle safety
  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT-VNTSC-BOS-23-01
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Boston (Massachusetts)
• Corporate Publisher:
  John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
• Abstract:
  Direct vision is the ability of a driver to see firsthand outside their vehicle without the aid of an indirect vision device, such as mirrors or camera displays. The Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Transportation Department, recognizing that poor direct vision of certain vehicles has contributed to VRU fatalities that the City's Vision Zero Task Force regularly reviews, approached Volpe in 2022 to assess the blind zone sizes of its own fleet vehicles as well as the blind zones of alternative vehicle models outside of its fleet. Volpe measured 21 vehicles across the three City of Boston Departments using two methodologies, and framing resulting blind zone size relative to child or adult visibility in a crosswalk or bicycle lane in accordance with Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices as well as Boston Transportation Department geometric standards. The technical approach and potential direct vision rating framework, developed in consultation with the City as well as nonprofit and industry stakeholders, are intended to support the City of Boston in measuring and managing blind zone risk and could be adapted by other public and private organizations.
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/68730/dot_68730_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 8.31 MB]
• Collection(s):
  Volpe Center
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:51264cb04dc27cd229ff459f23f0293bc6fe52e71741589c19d84e9d101f9b7f