WORKSHOP ON REARVIEW MIRROR HUMAN FACTORS RESEARCH NEEDS: SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

This document provides a summary of suggestions for research concerning rearview mirrors that were made at a workshop held at the University of Michigan on May 8 and 9, 1996. The workshop was sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation and conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). The purpose of the workshop was to identify future human factors research needed for determining rearview mirror performance and design requirements that will insure that drivers can use rearview mirrors safely and effectively. Although the workshop was sponsored by NHTSA, it was intended to identify the most important research needs in the area of rearview mirrors quite broadly, whether or not it was related to NHTSA regulatory activities and independent of who might sponsor the research. Forty-five individuals participated in the workshop, including representatives of the research community, the regulatory area, and the mirror and vehicle manufacturing sectors.