When it's dark and dismal, drizzly or foggy, your vision of the road ahead is impaired. Conventional cat's eyes only offer a limited range of view, yet what's the alternative? Switching to full beam may be a temporary solution – but often in foggy conditions, it can make matters worse and when other motorists are around, you could potentially dazzle them.
Cat's eyes are outmoded – a road stud of the past. Since they originated in the UK in 1933, the road studs have been installed all over the world, aiming to give motorists a clearer view of the route ahead. However, due to the fact they're reflective and rely on the bounce back from headlights to illuminate them, these road studs are somewhat flawed in their design.
And flaws aren't something which lies well with road safety.
Fast-forward to the 21st century and cat's eyes are really taking a back seat in the traffic industry. A more sophisticated, safer alternative has stolen the limelight – SolarLite Road Studs from Astucia, a brand within ClearView Traffic Group.
Unlike traditional cat's eyes, the SolarLite solar powered road stud is powered by the natural rays of the sun. With no clunky rubber mounting attaching them to the road, they lie embedded in the surface projecting up to 10 times brighter than standard cat's eyes. At a speed of 100km/h (62mph), this can potentially increase driver reaction times from 3.25 seconds to over 30 seconds.
And with over 8 fatalities every day in the UK alone and countless serious injuries, that's a significant statistic.
On top of the obvious emotional strife road accidents and fatalities cause, they also cause hefty bills calculated by the Department for Transport to cost over £1.87m. By choosing Astucia SolarLite solar powered road studs over Cat's eyes road studs, local and regional authorities can help reduce accident rates and significantly cut the amount of road closures and congestion.
Astucia SolarLite solar powered road studs are particularly effective at sites where there's a high accident risk for example on sharp corners, winding roads with poor delineation and in areas with insufficient or no street lighting.
Let's now take a look at the key benefits of SolarLite solar powered road studs vs. traditional cat's eyes:
SolarLite solar powered road studs have proved to reduce night time accidents by over 70%
The lifespan of the solar powered road studs is significantly lower than traditional cat's eyes
10 times greater visbility for motorists than traditional non solar powered road studs
Visible in adverse weather conditions i.e. fog, rain or surface spray
Solar powered road studs highlight sharp bends, dips in the road and other hazards
When used in conjunction with street light reduction schemes, the SolarLite solar powered road studs offer effective additional driver safety
And what about the key features of SolarLite solar powered road studs vs. traditional cat's eyes?
Up to 900 metres of visibility
Solar powered road studs are reliable all night, all year round
Unlike cat's eyes, they're totally sustainable harnessing free solar energy
Maintenance free – self contained
Solar powered road studs are available in amber, red, white or green (uni or bi directional)
Embedded and surface mounted options
Solar powered road studs unlike cat's eyes are motorcycle and bicycle friendly
Department for Transport approved
For more info on the Astucia SolarLite solar powered road studs, check out the Astucia website or click onto their umbrella group site ClearView Traffic.
