5 benefits of using reflective tape - INCOM Manufacturing Group

1. Improved Visibility:

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Tiny prisms or glass beads are used in reflective tape to bounce light back to its source. This makes it highly visible in low-light conditions.

2. Increased Safety:

Primarily used on road signs safety clothing and  vehicles to increase their visibility.

3. Enhanced Awareness:

When utilized properly, it helps to draw attention to objects making them easier for oncoming traffic to see.

4. Easy Application:

With the correct surface preparation, the self adhesive tape is easy to apply and requires no special tools. It’s also relatively inexpensive.

 5. Long Lasting:

Reflective tape is durable and can last for years in normal conditions. This makes it a cost-effective way to stay safe and to be seen.

Conspicuity tape, known for enhancing the visibility of vehicles, has been extensively studied for its safety benefits. These studies, conducted globally, have established the substantial impact that reflective tape can have in reducing accidents, particularly during low-light conditions.

Vector Study

Conducted over two years with 2,000 trucks (half marked, half unmarked), this study showed:

• An 18% reduction in accidents among trucks marked with reflective tape.
• The study’s results were influential in the creation of the U.S. DOT-C2 Regulations, which standardized the use of conspicuity markings.

Darmstadt University of Technology Report

Analyzing 2,216 accidents, this research found:

• 37% of truck side collisions and 41% of rear collisions in low-light conditions occurred because trucks weren’t recognized in time.
• In a study of 1,000 test group trucks marked with reflective tape, the unmarked control group had 30 accidents over two years, while only one accident occurred in the test group.

- Study (NHTSA Report)

This study revealed that conspicuity tape:

• Reduced side and rear impacts with truck trailers by 29%.
• Decreased fatalities or injuries by 44% in dark conditions.

US DOT FRA Study on Rail Car Visibility

This research focused on enhancing the conspicuity of rail cars:

• Participants could distinguish between freight cars and trucks using four patterns.
• Vertically oriented patterns were the most distinguishable and less likely to be confused with truck patterns.

Dutch Transport Safety Board Report

Recommendations from this report included:

• Mandatory contour marking of lorries (trucks) in Europe, emphasizing marking at least 80% of each side.
• Using white or yellow retroreflective material for optimal visibility.

The TUV Rheinland Group Report

This study emphasizes the effectiveness of contour marking on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in improving their visibility, particularly for car drivers. Key recommendations include:

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• Equipping the sides and rear of HGVs with contour markings, covering at least 80% of each side.
• Using type 3 retroreflective material for markings due to its resilience against soiling and aging.
• Applying white or yellow retroreflective materials to lorries and trailers for optimal visibility.
• Requiring all new vehicles over 3.5 tons to have contour markings, with a transition period of at least six years for retrofitting existing vehicles.

These measures collectively aim to improve the safety and visibility of large vehicles, reducing accidents and improving driver reaction times.

- NIIAT Study

A study conducted by the Scientific Institute of Motor Transport (NIIAT), under the Ministry of Transport’s initiative, investigated the effectiveness and economic impact of applying contour markings on heavy-duty trucks, trailers, and buses to reduce accidents. The study included 94 fleet owners, 30,000 vehicles, and covered 63 regions. The results revealed significant improvements:

• 67% reduction in accidents
• 62% reduction in fatalities
• 78% reduction in injuries

Overall, the study demonstrated the high efficiency of contour markings in substantially decreasing social and economic damages resulting from accidents.

Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Study

The study, conducted by FEMA, recommended combining active and passive conspicuity treatments:

• Improved lighting systems and retroreflective materials should be used to increase the recognizability of emergency vehicles.

Hungary Institute of Vehicle Safety Study

Analyzing 1,400 car-truck accidents, this study concluded that:

• Retroflective markings could prevent 600 accidents annually and reduce night-time accidents by 43%, potentially saving 65 lives every year.

UMTRI Report

Analyzing accidents from to , the report found:

• Night-time collisions involving heavy trucks declined over 20 years due to mandatory conspicuity laws.
• As more trucks employed reflective markings, rear-end and angle collisions reduced significantly.

NTSB Report (Independent US Federal Government Agency)

This report underscored the importance of conspicuity tape on single-unit trucks:

A safety analysis of single-unit truck crashes revealed the following:

• Fatalities: 9,084 people died in single-unit truck crashes, representing 37% of all truck crash fatalities.
• Collisions: An annual average of 2,309 crashes involved passenger vehicles hitting the rear of single-unit trucks, and 4,124 crashes involved passenger vehicles colliding with their sides.
• Nighttime Risks: Side or rear impacts at night were twice as likely to lead to serious injury or hospitalization compared to daytime crashes.
• Visibility Solution: Conspicuity improvements, like retroreflective tape, would enhance truck visibility in low-light conditions. This tape is affordable and easy to apply.
• Data Errors: Errors in data used for class 8 truck regulation by NHTSA resulted in an undercounting of single-unit truck fatalities by 20%.
• Recommendations: The NTSB recommends that the NHTSA require conspicuity markings on newly manufactured single-unit trucks and develop a plan to retrofit existing trucks.

Implementing these measures can enhance road safety by significantly reducing crashes and injuries involving single-unit trucks.

NHTSA Report

In this study:

From to , conspicuity tape on heavy trailers saved an estimated 2,660 people: 1,524 car occupants and 1,136 light truck and van (LTV) occupants. During the specific period of to , conspicuity tape led to a 21% reduction in accidents in dark conditions and a 16% reduction in daylight conditions.

SWOV Report (Institute for Road Safety Research – Netherlands)

Retrofitting older trucks with conspicuity reflective tape could prevent 481 crashes, save 3 lives, and reduce 16 serious injuries annually, yielding approximately €1.5 billion (US $1.7 billion) in savings. In the USA, around 82,000 large truck and bus crashes result in serious injuries annually, with 4,000 fatalities—almost 40% occurring at dusk or night. In the EU, about 5,000 people die annually in crashes involving heavy vehicles, with 75% of fatalities being other vehicle occupants. These preventable deaths are often due to poor visibility of truck sides or rears at night.

Applying reflective tape to all trucks, trailers, and heavy vehicles would significantly reduce night-time accidents and save lives. Regulations mandating even minimal conspicuity tape retrofitting would offer a benefit-cost ratio of 2:1, providing clear socioeconomic advantages.

-24 Ohio School Bus Conspicuity Study (Department of Public Safety)

Another study in Ohio demonstrated the visual effectiveness of bright chevron panels on school buses during daylight, dawn, and dusk conditions. In this study, a researcher observed a school bus for five days on its route, recording 15 cars passing around the bus illegally at moderate to high speeds while the bus was stopped with its STOP sign, pedestrian safety arm, and flashing lights activated. After confirming this data, highly reflective Fluorescent Orange and Fluorescent Lime Chevron Panels were affixed to the back of the bus. The same bus with the new reflective chevron panel was followed for another five-day period under equivalent weather and lighting conditions. During this second five-day period, only three cars were observed passing the bus illegally, an 80% reduction.

Based on the study, it was determined that placing reflective chevron markings on the back of a school bus is a cost-efficient option to enhance visibility to approaching motorists
during non-daylight or low-light hours.

Conclusion

These independent studies conclusively demonstrate the safety benefits of conspicuity tape in preventing accidents. The consistent reduction in collisions, fatalities, and injuries indicates the value of enhancing the visibility of vehicles through such markings. Regulatory frameworks that enforce the use of reflective materials, even minimally, could greatly enhance road safety and save countless lives worldwide.

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