Conspicuity tape, known for enhancing the visibility of vehicles, has been extensively studied for its safety benefits. These global studies have established the substantial impact that reflective tape can have on reducing accidents, particularly during low-light conditions. All studies report a substantial benefit from the addition of reflective conspicuity tapes or panels to trucks or other vehicles. Some report specific percentages and some do not. These percentage decreases in collisions relate to whether the accidents studies were at night, or in the daytime. Also, the size, color, pattern and brightness of the conspicuity used has a marked effect on percentage decline results. For example, the Vector Study only studied large trucks and tested only minimal conspicuity in comparison with the maximum effort that can be made in this area. Other studies focused on a wider variety of vehicles and larger areas of conspicuity. Of note is the fact that even a minimal amount of reflective conspicuity results in a marked decrease in nighttime collisions, due to the fact that visibility goes from zero. In other words, an unmarked truck is often completely invisible, so any effort to treat it with reflective tape is of tremendous benefit to an oncoming vehicle and gives the driver time to react.
1983 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 results significantly influenced the creation of U.S. DOT-C2 regulations, which standardized the use of conspicuity markings.
- When US DOT regulations, based on this report, were implemented, an NHTSA study showed a 29% reduction in collisions, and a 44% decrease in fatalities.
2000 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.
- Among 1,000 test group trucks marked with reflective tape, only one accident occurred, whereas the unmarked control group had 30 accidents over two years.
The study conducted by the German Technical University of Darmstadt analyzed both nighttime and daytime accidents involving two groups of vehicles: one with 1000 vehicles equipped with high-visibility reflective contour markings and the other with 1000 vehicles without such markings. Following the initial two-year period after the installations, it was concluded that 95% of nighttime collisions could have been prevented if trucks in the control group had retro-reflective visibility markings. Over the course of the 10-year study, it was found that applying reflective outline markings on heavy vehicles led to a 41% reduction in rear-end crashes and a 37% decrease in side impacts. The analysis of the data also revealed that the risk of an accident between a truck and a car was 30 times greater in the absence of conspicuous markings (Schmidt-Clausen, 2000).
1997-1999 NHTSA Study
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.
2001 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 least likely to be confused with truck patterns.
2003 Dutch Transport Safety Board Report
Recommendations from this report included:
- Mandatory contour marking of trucks in Europe, emphasizing the marking of at least 80% of each side.
- Using white or yellow retroreflective material for optimal visibility.
2004 TUV Rheinland Group Report
This study emphasizes the effectiveness of contour markings on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in improving visibility, particularly for car drivers. Key recommendations include:
- 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 trucks 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.
2003-2005 NIIAT Study
A study conducted by the Scientific Institute of Motor Transport (NIIAT) 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 and 30,000 vehicles across 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 reducing social and economic damages resulting from accidents.
2009 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:
- Retroreflective markings could prevent 600 accidents annually and reduce nighttime accidents by 43%, potentially saving 65 lives each year.
2011 UMTRI Report
Analyzing accidents from 1987 to 2009, the report found:
- Nighttime collisions involving heavy trucks declined over 20 years due to mandatory conspicuity laws.
- As more trucks employed reflective markings, rear-end and angle collisions were significantly reduced.
2013 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 that 9,084 people died, representing 37% of all truck crash fatalities.
- 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.
- Side or rear impacts at night were twice as likely to lead to serious injury or hospitalization compared to daytime crashes.
- Conspicuity improvements, like retroreflective tape, would enhance truck visibility in low-light conditions.
- Errors in data used for Class 8 truck regulation by NHTSA resulted in an undercounting of single-unit truck fatalities by 20%.
- The NTSB recommends that NHTSA require conspicuity markings on newly manufactured single-unit trucks and develop a plan to retrofit existing trucks.
2015 NHTSA Report
- From 1960 to 2012, 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 1983 to 1985, conspicuity tape led to a 21% reduction in accidents in dark conditions and a 16% reduction in daylight conditions.
2015 SWOV Report (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 ($1.7 billion USD) 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 nighttime accidents and save lives. Regulations mandating even minimal conspicuity tape retrofitting would offer a benefit-cost ratio of 2:1, providing clear socioeconomic advantages.
2023-24 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, now equipped with the new reflective chevron panels, was followed for another five-day period under equivalent weather and lighting conditions. During this second period, only three cars passed the bus illegally—an 80% reduction.
The study determined that placing reflective chevron markings on the back of a school bus is a cost-efficient way to enhance visibility for 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 these markings. Regulatory frameworks that enforce the use of reflective materials, even minimally, could greatly enhance road safety and save countless lives worldwide.