Lights On

1. Lights On “Lights On” A Science Fair Entry by Dean Bolt Jan-Mar 2002 Version of 2-24-2002

2. Acknowledgements • My dad helped me with both the idea & how to take data for this science fair project. • Maryland Senator Arthur Dorman –One of the bills sponsors • Asking for District Court Maryland actual citations for years since this law went into effect • Mother & dad for helping me learn how to use PC, especially Google search engine

3. Question • Is the 3 year old Maryland law about having your vehicle’s headlights on during a rainy day being complied with ?

4. Materials • Highway Traffic on rainy day during daylight hours • VHS Video Camera > Record vehicle traffic • VHS Video Player > Playback of traffic for counting • Rain coat • Rain cover for VHS camera • PC to research topic on Internet

5. Actual MD Law Wording

6. The Law In Simple Words • This Maryland law requires a driver to light a vehicle’s headlamps or fog lights if the vehicle’s windshield wipers are operating for a continuous period because of impaired visibility.The law provides that failure to comply is not a moving violation, is subject to a maximum fine of $25, and may only be enforced as a secondary violation.

7. Assumption (Prediction) Poor compliance with 1997 MD Law • Expect from observation MD drivers are not complying with this law. • Assumed from what I see, that as many as 10-20% are not complying! Is this a good number ?

8. Procedure • Independent Variable • Weather Conditions To Require Headlights Being ON By Law • Dependent Variable • Vehicle Headlights or Fog Lights Being on • Controlled Variable • Location • Time Of Day

9. Data Taking Procedure • Plan for Data Taking Based on Weather predictions • Choose rainy day for main data of law compliance (after sun rise & before sun set ) • Choose Dry day for headlights on during non rainy day • Using Video Camera To Take Data • Charge VHS Camera Battery • Place Erased VHS tape in camera • Video traffic for set time period or number of vehicles • Protect camera & data takers from rain • We learned to use camera from inside of car • Replay Video data & count vehicles both with & without lights on • Record data & make percent results from data ratios • Collect information on state law enforcement • Write State Officials via Internet • Collect information on other states & their similar laws • Internet search • Collect data on vehicles that have headlights hardwired

10. Research Subject • Contact sponsors of bill via E-mail • Search on line discussion groups on topic • Research actual bill wording • Ask MD DMV • Is law incorporated into license test & test study booklet ?

11. Explanation Of Tests • Test One (1) • Done by Dean’s dad to prove data could be taken & get an idea of degree of non compliance • Test Two (2) • Done by Dean & dad in Rain • This is main data source used in Conclusion • Test Three (3) • Done by Dean’s dad as quick check highway Vs lesser highway • Test four (4) • Done by Dean’s dad to establish degree of hardwired headlights that would effect Dean’s conclusions based on Test 2.

12. What Could Influence Results • Time Of Day • Driver may have started out drive in dark! • Weather • Light rain & heavy rain may influence driver differently to need, not law • Driver & Passengers • More that one occupant in vehicle might increase likelihood of lights being on • Driver education • Is it on drivers license Questions ? • Maryland MVA Confirms Yes • Is it on news or ? • No word search done • Internet chat confirms some discussions going on • Do drivers have a good knowledge of law ? • No surreys done • Type Of Vehicle • Commercial Trucks may both have lights wired on full time &/or professional driver • Some vehicles / cars are now equipped with full time lower powered headlights

13. Vehicle Headlights On Data

14. Percent Compliance With MD Headlight Law

15. Actual MD Violations Issued • Data From One of MD Senators that sponsored bill in 1997 • Data From Authur Dorman • Maryland Citations Written For 1997 Headlight Law • July 1999 -- June 1999 -- 256 Citations Written • July 1999 -- June 2000 -- 211 Citations Written • July 2000 -- June 2001 -- 195 Citations Written • July 2001 -- June 2002-Not Available Yet !

16. Daytime Running Lights“DRL” • DRL Equipped Vehicles • Daytime running lights are already standard equipment on Toyota, Volkswagen,and BMW. • General Motors ( GM) as of last year had more than 25 million light duty vehicles sold with DRL • DRL has been the law in Canada for several years, and the manufactures of these vehicles in Canada & for Canada also provide this design for the US version. • Results of both Canadian and US data indicates vehicle to pedestrian and vehicle to vehicle accident reductions from this feature. • For Science Project • It was assumed our data was influenced by DRL. • A data sample was taken to see how many vehicles had their lights on all the time & would be part of the high compliance on rainy day.

17. Results • From a sample of over 800 vehicles countedon a rainy morning in Bowie , there was a 96.5% compliance with this law. • There was 100% compliance for large trucks • Test 1 established compliance was in the 97% range from small sample • Test 2 was the main sample of data that shows 96.5% based on bigger sample • Test 3 done to see if RT3 South was not a good place to sample was inconclusive • The test was done as rain was ending & should be thrown out of testing. • Test 4 was done to see if conclusions found by Test 2 were affected by factors other that rain • It was known some vehicles had hardwired headlights • It was shown abt. 24% of the vehicles in Test 2 were on for other reasons including a likely major factor of being hardwired.

18. Conclusions • The compliance is very high, even if there are some vehicles with hardwired ( full time) headlights. • Our sample indicates 97.5% • Our sample indicates 100% for large trucks • The fairly low annual violations recorded by the Maryland police is another good indicator of compliance. • The difference between the rainy day headlights & sunny day head lights is the real indicator of willful compliance. This is 96.5 % - 24% or 72.5%.