Blue Light Special

Now we know why the lights are blue.

Eerie blue LEDs in truck cabs and truck stops could be the key to reducing accidents caused by drowsy drivers, say US researchers. They say bathing night drivers in the right light can increase their alertness by resetting their body clocks.

The scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, are testing blue LEDs that shine light at particular wavelengths that convince the brain it is morning, they say, resetting the body's natural clock.

That could help reduce the number of accidents that occur when people drive through the night. Nearly 30% of all fatal accidents involving large trucks in the US happen during the hours of darkness, according to a recent report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, while fatigue causes half of all truck accidents in the early hours on UK motorways.
Wakey wakey

"The concept of using light to boost alertness is well established [in other areas]," says Mariana Figueiro, co-author of a new white paper published by the institute's lighting research centre.

"Translating that understanding into a practical application is the next challenge." Drivers could take 30-minute "light showers" in truck stops fitted with similar lights, or the lights could be fitted into truck cabs.

Who knew ??