PURPOSES : The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of the level of the light-environment and the driver's visual ability on the change in the driver's perception of a forward curved section at night. The study also aims to identify factors that should be considered to ensure safety while entering curved sections of a road at night. METHODS : Data collected from a virtual driving experiment, conducted by the Korean Institute of Construction Technology (2017), were used. Logistic regression was applied to analyze the effects of changes in the light-environment factors (road surface luminance and glare) and the driver’s visual ability on a driver's perception of the road. Additionally, analysis of the moderated effect of visual ability on light-environment factors indicated that the difference in drivers’ visual abilities impact the influence of light-environment factors on their perception. A driver's ability to perceive, as a response variable, was categorized into 'failure' and 'success' by comparing the perceived distance and minimum reaction sight distance. Covariates were also defined. Road surface luminance levels were categorized into 'unlit road surface luminance' (luminance ≤ 0.1 nt) and 'lit road surface luminance' (luminance > 0.1 nt), based on 0.1 nt, which is the typical level observed on unlit roads. The glare level was categorized as 'with glare' and 'without glare' based on whether the glare was from a high-beam caused by an oncoming vehicle or not. The driver's visual ability level was categorized into 'low visual ability' (age ≥ 50) and 'high visual ability' (age ≤ 49), considering that after the age of 50, the drive’s visual ability sharply declines. RESULTS : The level of road surface luminance, glare, and driver's visual ability were analyzed to be significant factors that impact the driver's ability to perceive curved road sections at night. A driver's perception was found to reduce when the road surface luminance is very low, owing to the lack of road lighting ('unlit road luminance'), when glare is caused by oncoming vehicles ('with glare'), and if the driver's visual ability level is low owing to an older age ('low visual ability'). The driver's ability to perceive a curved section is most affected by the road surface luminance level. The effect is reduced in the order of glare occurrence and the driver's visual ability level. The visual ability was analyzed as a factor that impacts the intensity of the effect of change of the light-environment on the change of the driver's ability to perceive the road. The ability to perceive a curved section deteriorates significantly in 'low visual ability' drivers, aged 50 and above, compared to drivers with 'high visual ability,' under the age of 49, when the light-environment conditions are adverse with regard to the driver’s perception (road surface luminance: 'lit road surface luminance'→'unlit road surface luminance,' glare: 'without glare'→'with glare'). CONCLUSIONS : Supplementation, in terms of road lighting standards that can lead to improvements in the level of light-environment, should be considered first, rather than the implementation of restrictions on the right of movement, such as restricting the passage of low visual ability or aging drivers who are disadvantageous in terms of gaining good perception of the road at night. When establishing alternatives so that safety on roads at night is improved, it is necessary to consider improving drivers' perception by expanding road lighting installation. The road lighting criteria should be modified such that the glare caused by oncoming traffic, which is an influential factor in the linear change in perception, and the level of light-environment thereof are improved.

PURPOSES : This study was purposed to identify the relationships between route characteristics and accident characteristics using the data of 124 routes collected from 78 of the 136 Seoul Neighborhood bus companies. METHODS : A structural equation modeling technique was employed for the analysis. The following four factors that were determined to influence the characteristics of Neighborhood bus accidents were implemented: driver characteristics, route characteristics, driver working conditions, and the management conditions of each company. Additionally, the two dependent variables were set as vehicle to vehicle accidents and vehicle to pedestrian accidents. RESULTS : The results of factor analysis revealed that the management conditions of each company had a negative effect on the working conditions, and that driver characteristics had a negative influence on accident characteristics in the three models. The effects of three major factors such as route characteristics, management conditions of the company, and working conditions on vehicle-to-vehicle accidents were likely to be opposite to the influences on vehicle-to-pedestrian accidents. CONCLUSIONS : Through the analysis of these results, we identified the characteristic causes of Neighborhood bus accidents. Specifically, a driver with more experience is less likely to be involved in a Neighborhood bus accident, and a narrower road is associated with higher accident risk. These results can be used as a reference to improve route and safety management for Neighborhood buses. Furthermore, this study is expected to contribute to the establishment of improved strategies to effectively reduce the number of Neighborhood bus accidents.

Core-shell structured nanoparticles are garnering attention because these nanoparticles are expected to have a wide range of applications. The objective of the present study is to improve the coating efficiency of gold shell formed on the surface of silica nanoparticles for SiO2@Au core-shell structure. For the efficient coating of gold shell, we attempt an in-situ synthesis method such that the nuclei of the gold nanoparticles are generated and grown on the surface of silica nanoparticles. This method can effectively form a gold shell as compared to the conventional method of attaching gold nanoparticles to silica particles. It is considered possible to form a dense gold shell because the problems caused by electrostatic repulsion between the gold nanoparticles in the conventional method are eliminated.