While driving in both day and night time has its risks, it is riskier for motorists to drive at night. After all, your vision becomes more limited in the dark, and it can be difficult to navigate for some. That’s why it is important for public and private roads to be relatively safe for motorists.
Here are a few measures public and private roads can take to ensure the safety of motorists driving at night.
Use Reflective Paint
Using reflective thermoplastic road marking paint can make a big difference in motorist safety. Unlike regular paints that are barely visible at night, our premium thermoplastic paints have glass beads mixed into the paint to increase reflectivity in dark conditions.
When drivers use their headlights at night, reflective road marking paint reflects the light back, giving a glowing appearance and allowing the driver to see the markings better. By being able to see road markings and signs better, drivers can avoid getting into accidents due to unseen markings or warnings.
Signs with Retroreflective Borders
Traffic signs, electronic signals, and other warnings on the road may not be as visible at night. Instead of relying on static signs or stop signs alone, installing retroreflective borders onto signs can increase visibility and direct traffic.
This is to improve visibility even further. While traffic lights can be seen to a certain extent, different environments like heavy rain or fog can make it even more difficult to drive at night. And because traffic lights normally have black background, it can be even more difficult to see when it blends into the background. Thus, reflective borders can greatly help visibility.
Raised Pedestrian Islands
Medians or pedestrian islands in the middle of a road can prevent drivers from colliding into pedestrians and cyclists trying to cross the road. In the dark, a driver may be unable to see pedestrians crossing until it is too late. And without an island, pedestrians are at risk of oncoming traffic when trying to cross the road.
These are popular safety measures in high-traffic areas and intersections. This can protect pedestrians and help them cross the street more safely at night.
Block Jaywalking
A 2016 study published in Accident Analysis & Prevention found that evening or late-night collisions in Metro Manila more likely result in a pedestrian’s death. One of the biggest contributions to this are traffic violations for both drivers and pedestrians, one of which could be jaywalking or crossing the street in an unauthorized crossing zone.
Taking steps like fencing the sidewalk or adding more practical pedestrian crossing locations can prevent the number of pedestrians jaywalking, which can result in lesser accidents.
Driving at night can be dangerous and can put the driver, their passengers, and pedestrians at risk. It’s important for roads to be safe and minimize the risks involved with travelling at night, and these are just a few ways to reduce the risks of the road during the night.
