3 ms·
Based on the video, it took about 1.5 seconds from when the pedestrian came into view till the vehicle collided with them. At 38 mph, a car is traveling about
by u801e 9y ago
Based on the video, it took about 1.5 seconds from when the pedestrian came into view till the vehicle collided with them.
At 38 mph, a car is traveling about 56 feet/second. That means that the car traveled about 84 feet in that timeframe. VOL (Visual Aim on Left) headlamps are supposed to be aimed 2.1 inches below headlamp level at a distance of 25 feet [1]. If the headlamps on the vehicle were about 2 feet off the ground, then they should have been able to light up the roadway about 286 feet ahead.
Had the headlamps been aimed properly, then the driver could have seen the pedestrian about 5 seconds in advance. That would have given the driver about 1 second to react and 4 more seconds to slow down or change direction to avoid the collision.
[1] http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html
- usaphp 9y ago> they should have been able to light up the roadway about 286 feet ahead But when that person was 286 feet away from the vehicle - she was also way off to its left. Headlights mostly light up what’s ahead of you, not what’s on your side. Unless I am missing something.
- u801e 9y ago> Headlights mostly light up what’s ahead of you, not what’s on your side. Good headlamps should have a uniform and widely distributed beam pattern which should be able to light up at least the lane of traffic you're in, as well as the shoulder and several lanes to the left.
- in_cahoots 9y agoWe don’t know when the pedestrian car into view for the human eye. It’s possible that the actual scenario was much brighter in real life than on camera.