The role of conspicuity in road safety
With increased travel intensity, many drivers choose or are obliged to travel during dark hours. Nowadays, 20% of travel happens at night causing 32% of total accidents and 48% of fatal accidents. Conspicuity also needs to be put into the context of an ageing population. As a matter of fact, with every 13 years of age, the human eye needs twice as much light to see the same information.
According to Commission's estimates lack of conspicuity is responsible every year for 2,500-4,000 deaths, i.e. 7% of the total.
This report summarises some of the main points addressed during the ETSC Transport Safety Lunch on Conspicuity.
Conspicuity of road signals and road markings
Road signals and road markings are one of the primary interfaces between the roadway and the drivers and are used to communicate to drivers information that would otherwise be unobvious.
"Color, size and shape are all important elements to make a road signal visible during the day. However, in order for them to be seen during night hours, signs should be made of high brightness retro reflective materials that maximise the amount of light returned to the drivers", said Ren Jacobs from the Belgian Road Research Centre.
Mr. Jacobs also mentioned the importance of road markings. Clear and visible road markings, coupled with a high level of maintenance, are essential to ensuring a high level of safety. Road marking must be of the highest quality in order to be visible and lasting and to guarantee a skid resistance that is as good as the one of the adjacent road surface.
Visibility vests
Drivers, under various circumstances, might be forced to temporarily leave their vehicle. For instance, when an engine breaks down, or the need rises to secure or check the car load, or when there is a tyre puncture. In such a case, and especially on high speed roads and on motorways, the driver is exposed to an increased risk of accident and should take extra precaution to be visible from the other motorists. A retro reflective vest is in many cases the solution to increase the driver's conspicuity. Some European countries are taking steps to make the use of visibility vests compulsory for drivers who have to leave their vehicle outside urban areas. Flor Koninckx, member of the Belgian Senate, mentioned that a proposal had been presented in the Belgian Parliament to oblige Belgian motorists to carry a visibility vest in their vehicle and to use it in emergency situations.
Jean-Paul Repussard, from DG TREN European Commission, raised the issue of foreign drivers. He said that some national laws were obliging a driver to use a vest in a dangerous situation but, paradoxically, would not require the driver to carry a vest in their car. These norms, though unclear for the driver, were not against EU law. On the other hand, other national laws (requiring the driver to have a visibility vest in the car), although undoubtedly clearer, were "stricto sensu" in breach of EU law. Mr. Repussard added that the Commission did not intend to legislate on the issue even though the use of visibility vests was to be recommended.
Conspicuity of pedestrians and cyclists
Pedestrians and cyclists can be difficult to see in the road traffic, especially at night and in dark weather conditions. Without wearing something reflective a pedestrian or cyclist is only likely to be visible 30 metres away, in low beam headlights. By wearing something reflective they become visible at 150 metres away. This gives drivers five times the distance to notice them and, more importantly, to avoid them.
Jacqueline Lacroix, from the German Transport Safety Council (DVR), informed the audience that in Germany, 70% of all pedestrians' and cyclists' deaths outside urban areas happened in twilight or dark hours. On urban areas this figure was lower but still very relevant and amounted to 50% of total pedestrians' and cyclists' deaths. This was the reason why DVR promoted campaigns to encourage pedestrians and cyclists (especially children and teenagers) to use retro reflective clothes and to equip their bikes with more performing lamps.
Jean-Paul Repussard added that conspicuity of vulnerable road users was an area in which the exchange of best practices was clearly more effective than EU legislation.
Conspicuity of trucks
Crash investigations show that nearly 5% of severe truck accidents can be traced back to poor conspicuity of the truck or its trailer at night. These accidents can be characterised by the fact that car drivers often fail to recognise trucks or truck combinations driving ahead of them. In an ideal situation, the human eye would recognise a vehicle as clearly during the day as during the night.
Since this is obviously not possible, trucks can be rendered much more conspicuous by marking their sides and rear using retro reflective marking tape. Conspicuity marking tape is a high performance retro reflective tape which reflects most of the light falling onto it back towards the light source. The tape, mounted on the rear and sides of the vehicle, enables the driver to identify the truck as an object on the road as well as its height and length. The truck is therefore made visible to other road users thereby reducing accidents, specifically rear and side impacts into large vehicles. Contour marking is undoubtedly the best solution, with a line marking as the second-best option. According to Roland Gillebeert, from CLEPA, "the human beings see through their brain rather than through their eyes and contour or line markings can help the brain to understand that there is a truck driving ahead, entering the road or turning off the road".
Annie Luchie, from the Liaison Committee of the Body Builders and Trailer Manufacturers, added that so far there were no prescriptions at the international level regarding truck markings. However, she informed the audience that things were changing and that a UN proposal was being adopted mandating conspicuity markings on certain category of vehicles (lorries over 7.5 tons and longer than 6 metres and trailers and semi-trailers over 3.5 tons and longer than 6 metres). The signatory countries would require a full contour marking on the rear of the vehicle. On the side of the vehicle, a line marking would be required and, whenever possible, a marking at the upper corners. The marking would have to cover 80% of the vehicle's width and length. These requirements, however, would not prevent manufactures from having more markings. New types would have to abide by the new legislation by January 2008 and new vehicles by 2010.
ETSC warmly thanks all sponsors who, through their support, contribute to help ETSC fullfilling its objectives. Thanks to that help ETSC's fifth Lunch was a great success. ETSC maintains its independence through funding from a variety of sources including membership subscriptions, European Commission grants, and public and private sector support for various activities.
