March Traffic Calmer

Keeping Roads Safe, Even in the Dark

Night Driving	In this issue: Night Driving Traffic Calming at Night Your Questions: Speeding Problems at Night Upcoming ITE Technical Conference
The risks of being fatally injured in a car crash increase significantly when darkness falls. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), accident fatality rates are three times higher at night than they are during the day. Increased risk is not only for drivers, but for pedestrians as well. The NHTSA reports that 67% of pedestrian fatalities occur after dark.

The increased risk is due in part to decreased visibility. The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that 90% of a driver’s reaction depends on his or her vision. When drivers can’t see as well, they are more likely to be involved in an accident. Another contributing factor to nighttime accidents is decreased driver attention to posted speed limits. Motorists often think that it is safer to speed at night when the roads are quieter. In fact, with increased risk of fatal accidents, nighttime is when drivers must be most attentive and careful to obey speed laws.

Traffic Calming at Night

Protecting roads with traffic calming measures may be most important at night, when enforcement can be difficult, and motorists are more likely to be involved in fatal accidents. Installing traffic calming on your roads can help ensure that motorists don’t speed, even in the quiet of night. While the simple presence of traffic calming solutions makes your streets safer in the dark, Traffic Logix went a step further by integrating features that are specifically designed to protect drivers and pedestrians during nighttime driving.

Molded Reflective Tape- Every unit of Traffic Logix’ rubber solutions is embedded with highly reflective highway tape. While asphalt devices are generally painted with stripes that wear off and are hard to see at night, the highway tape maintains its luminosity over time. Approaching motorists can see the traffic calming solutions long before they approach them, allowing ample time to slow down to a safe speed. The highway tape is available in either white or yellow.

Highly Visible LEDs- The Traffic Logix radar speed signs are equipped with a unique patented optical design that provides recognition from 1000 feet even in poor visibility conditions and at night. In addition, the sign is equipped with a high intensity flashing light to warn drivers who exceed the designated threshold speed.

Trends in Addressing Night Driving Concerns

In addition to maximizing traffic calming to increase safety at night, research is currently being conducted in Europe for innovative ways to improve night driving. Researchers are working on a project called DRIVSCO, which involves installing a microchip in vehicles to support the illumination of the car and detect objects, pedestrians, bends, etc. The system would use night vision cameras with vision which extends further than the distance covered by car headlights.

Your Questions- Speeding Problems at Night

Q: I live on a residential street with an elementary school. The speed limit is 25 mph but cars passing through treat it as a speedway, going 40 mph and occasionally even as fast as 50 mph, especially at night. What would be the ideal solution to slow cars down?
-PK, Massechusets

A: The ideal solution to slow cars to the posted speed limit of 25 mph would be a speed table. Speed tables slow cars more gradually than speed humps or cushions and are therefore excellent for usage on streets with residential speed limits. If, however, emergency response time is a concern on your street, speed cushions, which slow cars to 15-20 mph, may be a better alternative. Radar speed signs are also a viable option, as they make motorists more aware of their speeds, encouraging them to obey local speed laws.

Upcoming ITE Technical Conference

Traffic Logix is proud to be exhibiting once again at the upcoming ITE 2009 Technical Conference and Exhibit, Transportation Operations in Action. Over 1,000 transportation professionals will attend the conference in Phoenix, AZ from March 22-25. Learn about new research, ideas, and products. View our traffic calming solutions live and learn more about how they can make your streets safer and more livable. For more information about the Conference, visit http://www.ite.org/conference/.

To set up an appointment to meet a representative at the show, contact Craig Timothy at c.timothy@trafficlogix.com.

Questions? Comments? Give us a call or email us at:

Traffic Logix
3 Harriett Lane
Spring Valley, NY 10977
866-915-6449
info@trafficlogix.com
www.trafficlogix.com