Effect of the Number of Glare Reducing Glass Coatings, Angle of Glass, and Light Intensity on the Glare Seen by a Driver
This experiment aimed to find the effect that the number of glare reducing glass coatings applied, angle of a windshield, and bulb wattage had on the percentage of light transmitted through a standard piece of windshield glass. The purpose of doing so was to find the best combination of the three factors that will reduce the amount of light transmitted through the windshield of any motor vehicle. This in turn will help reduce the number of accidents caused by a driver’s visual impairment when glare distorts their view. It was hypothesized that the greatest number of coatings (2), with the smallest angle to the horizontal (40 degrees) and the smallest initial bulb wattage (40 watts) would block out the greatest percentage of light. The experiment was conducted using a light sensor measured in lux (lumens/square meter) in a dark room (admitting less than 2 lux) to demonstrate the effects of driving at night with an oncoming driver’s headlights in the direct path of the first driver’s field of vision. Three previously cut windshields were placed in front of the sensor, and based on their number of coatings, were tested at each predetermined angle with the bulb wattage associated with each new trial. The hypothesis was later rejected as the (-,-,-) trials using no windshield coatings, a 40 degree angle, and a 40 watt bulb blocked out the highest percentage of light. The effect of the angle of the glass proved to be the only statistically significant variable and it had the largest effect on the percentage of light allowed through.
Research Conducted By:
Garrett Mandel
Warren Mott High School
Jaclyn Tockstein
Warren Mott High School
Warren Consolidated Schools