Safety is easy to see

Establish a safety standard

When trucks, trailers and other large commercial vehicles are more reflective, it is easier for other drivers to see them from a distance, especially at night and in poor weather conditions, which can mean fewer accidents, injuries and fatalities. deaths on our roads.

An economical way to introduce this improvement in reflectivity to vehicles is the reflective contour marking sign (also called Sign V-23).

These retroreflective safety markings for vehicles have become a requirement in many countries around the world since the early 1990s, and with good reason. With the right application, they can help your vehicle or fleet really stand out at a relatively low cost.

The goal of this eBook is to help you understand the benefits of this type of vehicle marking to increase retroreflective visibility (how they work, why many countries and organizations require them, and what makes them different), so you can see the brilliant difference they make by themselves.

A new perspective on road safety

Decades of research have demonstrated the safety benefits of contour marking reflective signals for increased visibility.

In jurisdictions where retro-reflective contour marking signs are applied to increase visibility in vehicles, rates of traffic accidents, injuries and fatalities are reduced. In the United States alone, truck collisions were reduced by 58% after the introduction of visibility markings. And while it is important to prevent any type of vehicle collision, reducing collisions involving commercial vehicles can be especially valuable as their large physical size can affect other vehicles on the road as well as their occupants.

Of course, this problem affects virtually all nations that rely heavily on road transport and the effect that visibility markings can have on reducing these types of accidents has been evident in many parts of the world.

Early detection is essential.

In 2000, the Darmstadt University of Technology in Germany studied 2,216 truck accidents. Of the collisions that took place in the dark and at dusk, 37% of impacts to the sides and 41% of impacts to the rear of trucks occurred because the truck had not been detected in time by the other drivers involved in the collisions (see reference on next page).

Following this analysis, 1,000 trucks were followed over a two-year period to evaluate the effectiveness of contour markings in early detection and accident reduction.

The results were significant: the control group without retro-reflective markings experienced 30 side or rear collision incidents at night, while there was only one crash in the test group of trucks with contour retro-reflective markings.2

Large vehicles are a critical hazard on the roads.

Prior to the implementation of a broader regulation in the European Union on retro-reflective markings, the Dutch Transport Safety Board had sought to explore further why semi-trailers are so involved in so many accidents of this type.

In 2003, a study was launched following a specific accident which had occurred several years earlier and which revealed a specific problem associated with these types of vehicles: because they are commonly used for freight transport purposes, it is typical for them to move backwards and at different angles on complicated access roads and often occupy much, if not all, of the road.

While various safety measures were implemented to reduce these accidents, such as avoiding reversing during daylight hours, the study found that the incorporation of retro-reflective contour marking signals to increase visibility could reduce by several hundred per year the number of accidents involving this type of vehicle, which would mean 20 to 30 fewer hospitalizations, and 2 to 3 fewer deaths each year.

Retroreflective visibility could mean 20-30 fewer hospitalizations and 2-3 fewer deaths annually.

Saving lives all over the world.

Other studies in a wide variety of countries of different sizes and traffic volumes have come to similar conclusions over the years:

In 2001, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published the findings of a three-year follow-up study that concluded that reflective contour marking signals for increased visibility had reduced side and rear impacts of trucks and trailers by 29% and had also reduced associated deaths or injuries by 44% in dark conditions.

TÜV Rheinland Group of Germany, supported by the European Commission, published its recommendations in a 2004 report, which concluded that all new vehicles over 3,5 tonnes should be equipped with contour marking for increased visibility and that at least 80% of the contour of each side should be marked.

While studying the economic and safety effects of visibility contour markings, Russian transportation safety officials at the Scientific Institute of Motor Transport (NIIAT) observed a staggering 62% reduction in fatalities and a reduction in injuries. 78% over the course of the three-year study.

In Hungary, the Institute for Vehicle Safety studied 1,400 car and truck accidents and concluded that retro-reflective signs would help prevent 600 accidents and up to 65 lives a year.

In short, requiring retro-reflective visibility markings is a relatively small step that can make a big difference to the safety of everyone on the road, and the benefits go beyond safety.

The economic arguments in favor of visibility

In addition to helping save lives, retro-reflective contour markings can also help save money.

While the safety benefits of visibility markings on vehicles such as buses, semi-trailers and large vans are easy to see, it is also worth noting how these accident reductions translate into economic value for both the State and private entities. While most studies rightly focus on the number of injuries and fatalities that are avoided, reducing costs of healthcare and replacing damaged goods can further justify investment in retro-reflective marking solutions and ultimately improve the bottom line.

The socioeconomic aspects of security.

In its 2009 study on how to advance the latest in emergency vehicle visibility technology, FEMA (U.S. Department of Homeland Security) concluded that a combination of active and passive visibility elements would improve the visibility and recognition of ambulances, police vehicles, and fire trucks.8 Based on other recent studies, they draw a simple, straightforward and direct correlation with respect to return on investment: “Recent studies on types of retro-reflective film in traffic control applications9,10,11 suggest that increasing the cost of specifying a high-efficiency retro-reflective material may prove reasonably cost-effective in some scenarios, due to reduced accidents

It is logical to think that having fewer accidents means saving on vehicle repair costs, driver injuries, downtime for repairs, etc. The 2005 study published by NIIAT confirmed the high effectiveness of contour marking enforcement due to the large decrease in social and economic damage from accidents, and a 2007 report by the Federal Highway Traffic Safety Administration (US DOT) confirmed that the economic impact of a single medium or heavy truck accident can be significant.

Their study concluded that:
Average costs per accident with nonfatal injuries averaged $195,258
Fatal accidents cost more than any other type of accident, reaching an average cost of $3.604.518 accidentally.

And these figures do not include the wide range of possible indirect costs that are difficult to calculate, such as the ongoing mental health care of the affected passengers, or the impact on public relations that can result from any accident in which a truck owned by a reputable company may be involved.

These cost savings can be achieved not only with newly registered heavy vehicles. A 2015 report from the Institute for Road Safety Research in the Netherlands concluded that by introducing a regulation for the incorporation of minimum high visibility contour marking tape requirements on all heavy vehicles, the socio-economic cost savings both in lives as in dollars they would far exceed the expense (2:1 benefits: costs ratio).

We'll start seeing automated fleets.

As major companies around the world rush to deploy fleets of automated commercial vehicles, the cost-benefit ratio comes down to a relatively simple proposition: investing in new, more expensive, driverless fleets should yield long-term savings. Between eliminating the potential for driver error and increasing the amount of time a truck can spend on the road, these investments could well pay off and become the norm, and vehicle contour reflective markings for increased visibility are a simple solution to that goal.

In addition to the proven visibility and safety benefits, low cost, and ease of application of reflective vehicle marking signs, these are perhaps one of the most effective additions that can be incorporated into a driverless fleet to help protect assets that will likely be deployed on the road for more hours of the day than ever before.

Regulations in the world

The global adoption of regulations regarding increased vehicle visibility has been as broad as it is varied over the decades – and more measures are still needed.

Areas of the world that require solutions that increase vehicle visibility do so for one simple reason – they can help save lives.

The two most complete standards that have been implemented are FMVSS 108 in the United States (“US DOT-C2”) and UN ECE R104 in Europe, and in Spain incorporated into the General Vehicle Regulations as a reflective contour marking sign, called V. -2. 3

US (DOT-C2) FMVSS 108

Effective date:

• New trailers after December 1, 1993
• New vehicles or older vehicles upgraded after 1 June 2001
• New truck trailers after July 1, 1997

Required Vehicles / Mandatory Installation:

• Gross vehicle weight of more than 4,536 kg
• Trailers with a total width greater than 2,032 mm

Required application:

• Side marking: Average 50% coverage with red/white retroreflective tape (not including gaps)
• Rear marking: Bottom rear has 100% stripe coverage with red/white retro-reflective tape

UN ECE R104 (Signal V-23)

Effective date:

• July 10, 2011

Mandatory Installation:

• Goods vehicles over 7,500 kg
• Trailers and semi-trailers with a gross weight exceeding 3,500 kg
• Goods vehicles and trailers more than 6 m long and more than 2.1 m wide

Required application:

• Side marking: 70% cumulative of vehicle length (gaps more than half the length of the marking element are considered continuous) in yellow or white
• Rear marking: Outline cover (box) in red or yellow

Voluntary installation: Vehicles intended for the transport of goods, not required to be registered before 10 July 2011 and for all those vehicles for the transport of goods and passengers whose installation is not prohibited
(prohibited in: motor vehicles dedicated to the transport of people, with a maximum of 8 seats and in trailers and semi-trailers with a maximum mass of less than 0.75 Tm)

Covering the world with visibility.

Some regions have chosen to follow UNECE R104 on a voluntary rather than a requirement basis, which can provide important guidance for private companies interested in improving the safety and visibility of their fleet, but also means that slower adoption is likely. In addition to that, many other areas have yet to adopt any form of formal regulation (voluntary or compulsory). While several of these jurisdictions are conducting trials or studies to see what benefits could be gained from visibility-enhancing markings specific to their roads, there is a strong argument that virtually any region could achieve accident reductions and cost savings by implementing visibility regulations on large commercial vehicles.

Benefits beyond the road transport sector.

The main safety and cost benefits of increased visibility in heavy-duty vehicles are also not limited to semi-trailers in the long-haul logistics sectors. Vehicles in any type of industrial service, from freight trucks to school buses, public transport and emergency vehicles, are all susceptible to similar dangers from being hit by other drivers on the road due to visibility problems.

This is why regulations such as NFPA 1901 for Motorised Firefighting Equipment in the emergency vehicle sector have been adopted and updated in North America to keep up with the latest advances in best practice.

Establish a safety standard.

Ultimately, whether your company is in a regulated region or not, you should equip your vehicles with visibility markings. Do it for yourself, for your drivers and for everyone on the road. Being at the forefront of adoption not only demonstrates a greater commitment to safety, but it can actually make a safety difference that helps you on your bottom line.

While it is possible that any signage applied for improved signage can make a difference, using one of the main guidelines already adopted in another region is an easy way to know that you are following well-established practices that have been shown to reduce accidents, injuries and associated costs. To further simplify your specification process and verify that your visibility markings not only meet or exceed all FMVSS 108 requirements, look for the DOT-C2 and ECE 104 certification mark embedded in the material to know that you can have absolute confidence in the performance of the material.

Of course, this is not the only feature that differentiates the performance of markers for increased visibility. There's more science behind their durability and retro-reflective performance than it seems.

Drive with confidence.

Did you know that many of the same technologies 3M for visibility marking are already used today on the roads?

Reflective road safety solutions date back to the early 1930s, when 3M invented the reflective tape with glass microspheres and, although the technology has evolved and improved dramatically since then, the main objective remains the same:

return light to drivers

(and now, in some cases, automated vehicle cameras), to provide critical information in order to stay safe on the road. That means that whether it's a traffic signal that warns the driver that their exit is approaching and they need to prepare properly, a road mark on the pavement that helps to delineate a lane for a camera in an automated vehicle, or a contour visibility mark that provides early recognition of the presence of a heavy vehicle, many of the same technologies are at play.

Around the world millions of traffic signs are made with the same or similar materials as those used 3M in the manufacture of vehicle contour visibility markings, so in a way these markings act as mini signals” that convey critical information to other drivers who are near heavy vehicles. Similarly, this could also be very valuable for automated vehicle cameras, which rely on similar visual information to help them process and recognize the presence of other vehicles on the road.

Since you may already rely on retroreflective technologies to guide your heavy vehicle fleets safely to their destinations, you can rely on vehicle contour markings for increased vehicle visibility 3M as a practical next step in making their vehicles as safe as the roads they travel on.

Better performance from any angle.

Many organizations choose contour markings to increase visibility of 3M instead of other solutions due to our angular reflectivity.

High levels of retro-reflection are essential for any visibility improvement solution – but retro-reflection should not be limited to working when light sources point directly at contour markings. In many cases, the angle at which a driver approaches a heavy vehicle will depend on the area of the road on which he is. At a typical 4-lane intersection where a heavy vehicle with a trailer is making a wide turn to the left, other vehicles could approach it from virtually any angle.

For this reason, it is imperative that the contour markings for increased visibility specified for your heavy-duty vehicles have a high angularity, which means that they can reflect light brightly even at the narrowest angles. In this way, whether the vehicle is approached from the rear or from the side, the light from the headlamp of the vehicle coming in the opposite direction is likely to be returned to the driver first, giving him more time to react and possibly avoid a collision. Vehicle contour marking 3MTM Diamond GradeTM Series 983 has the widest angularity of all marking solutions for increased visibility 3M, making it our best choice to help increase the safety and visibility of your trucks.

Plan Your Way

Your heavy-duty vehicles are built to be durable, so make sure your contour markings for increased visibility are as well. For this reason, outline markings for increased visibility of 3M they're the best real world solution.

Contour markings for increased visibility offer various levels of performance depending on the retro-reflective materials they are made of. Another factor that affects their performance over time is their durability. As materials wear, due to environmental factors commonly found on roads, the retro-reflective elements on many of these markings may begin to deteriorate. You may have seen this phenomenon on a truck that has been in service for many years and has not replaced the contour markings: the colour is deteriorated and discolored, the markings may be cracked or incomplete and the retro-reflective performance looks greatly diminished from when it was originally installed.

Unfortunately, this effect can be seen all too often, especially in countries where visibility regulations have been in place for many years and where these contour markings have been in place for longer.

From the safety point of view, the danger posed by this is doubly worrying: the vehicle may be considered as conforming by the operator because the contour marks are present and yet their retro-reflective performance does not really contribute to a significant increase in safety.

We will start to see automated fleets.

To build a sense of confidence in the safety of your vehicle or fleet of vehicles, the best option is to specify the most durable visibility contour marking solution available. One way to determine the longevity of a visibility solution is the warranty: Our most durable product, Vehicle Contour Marking 3M™ Diamond Grade Series 983, is backed by a 10-year warranty. But this is not the only reason you can trust its performance.

DOT-C2 performance testing

Vehicle contour marking 3MTM Diamond Grade Series 983

Series 983 is the brightest at first.

Vehicle contour marking 3MTM Diamond Grade Series 983

The 983 Series is the one with the least change over 2,000 hours of operationaccelerated aging. *

The best “real world” visibility solution.

Series 983 Vehicle Contour Markings are bright upon installation and, furthermore, remain bright. In a direct comparison with those of other manufacturers, 3M it showed the least change in retroreflection after 2,000 hours of accelerated aging in exposure to the weather, and was less than 10% in its initial retroreflection/gloss.14 In fact, it provides the highest retroreflection at a variety of angles in a standard application, superior performance and the least variability in retroreflection due to exposure to the elements. In short, it is the best "real world" visibility solution because it is built to withstand weather conditions and still offer light to drivers on the road.

Drive to be seen

Do you belong to an administration body in matters of road safety? Do you own a fleet of vehicles? Do you share the road with large commercial vehicles?

We all agree that any step we take toward improving safety for everyone on the road is a smart move. Even on voluntarily installed vehicles, retroreflective contour markings on vehicles 3M they can help reduce the number of serious, costly accidents and possibly save lives at the same time.

Sources and recommended reading

For more information on the importance of reflective contour markings worldwide, please refer to the following studies and documents referenced in this e-book.

This is the first time I've seen this. Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Study. 1983 to 2015.

2. the University of Technology in Darmstadt. The report. Two thousand.

The Dutch Transport Safety Board. Accidents involving trucks maneuvering in the dark. It's 2003.

THE NHTSA. The Effectiveness of Retroreflective Tape on Heavy Trailers. It's 2001.

5. the TÜV Rheinland Group. The report. It's 2004.

6. scientific institute of motor transport. The report. It's 2005.

Hungary Institute of Vehicle Safety Study. Investigation of the Application of Innovative Contour Markings Improving the Conspicuity of Trucks, Report on their Preventive Role during Public Road Accidents, 2009.

8. FEMA. FA-323 Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Study. 2009.

9. Carlson, P.J. He was born in Paris. Evaluation of Clearview Alphabet with Microprismatic Retroreflective Sheeting. This is the Texas Transportation Institute. This is Texas A&M University: College Station, TX. This is report #4049-1. October of 2001.

10. Gates, T.J., and Hawkins, H.G. He was born in 2004. Effect of higherconspicuity warning and regulatory signs on driver behavior. This is the Texas Transportation Institute. This is Texas A&M University: College Station, TX. This is report # 0-4271-S.

11. Amjadi, R. (2008). Techbrief: Safety evaluation of increasing retroreflectivity of stop signs. Federal Highway Administration: Washington, DC. Report # FHWAHRT-08-047. March 2008.

12. FMCSA. Unit Costs of Medium and Heavy Truck Crashes. March 2007.

13. Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Verkeersveiligheid SMOV-rapport R-2015-2. Impact Retrofit ECE104 for NL and EU. 2015.

14.Internal 3M testing. The data on file.

FifteenConspicuity Regulatory eBook in Spanish