Evaluation on the Effectiveness of Sideview Video Systems to Reduce Transit Bus Side Crashes

The camera-based system has great potential to reduce transit bus side crashes. This paper evaluated the effectiveness of sideview video systems to reduce transitbus side crashes through measuring the reduction of blind zones, and analyzing the results of controlled driving tests and driver surveys using sideview videosystems. The result from measurements of blind zone reduction showed that the sideview video systems with a regular angle lens can reduce about 64 percent of the blind zones of a flat mirror system. It can reduce about 43 percent of blind zones of a common combined flat and convex mirror system. The result of the controlled driving test from 28 bus drivers was positive on distance/depth perception and lane change maneuvers using sideview video systems. The driver survey results also confirmed that bus drivers participating in the study valued the benefits of sideview video systems