Could Glow-in-The-Dark Road Markings Boost Biker Safety?
An engineering company in Australia is trailing photoluminescent road markings, that soak up light during the day, and emit it after dark
Motorcycles from even the modern era can have woefully poor-performing headlights. With less room to play with, and in some cases weight being a big negative, bike makers have less in their arsenal to help us see where we are going at night.
One Australian company thinks it might have a way to help road users to see where they are going, as a trial of photoluminescent road markings begins in the state of Victoria, Australia.
Photoluminescent paint is a fairly common product and is used in everything from kids' toys to the hands of watches to allow them to be seen in the dark. During the day, invisible UV light with lots of energy charges special phosphors in the paint causing it to glow. Once the sun sets this illumination can now be seen - although it glows during the day, too, your eye can’t see it due to the brightness of the daytime sunlight. Some types of glow-in-the-dark paint can store enough energy to glow for an entire night and even longer.
A picture of the glowing road markings was shared by its developers on Facebook, quickly going viral causing the phone at Tarmac Linemarking (the company that has applied the new paint) to ring off the hook.
Speaking to News.com.au Tarmac Linemarking’s John Emanuelli said:
“There’s been a lot of interest since the trial run, it’s a great product… This treatment will make it easier for drivers to see the line markings or signage and provide stronger definition coming up to intersections and curves, giving drivers more time to react and preventing them from veering from their lane.
“This will be particularly beneficial for people who are not familiar with driving through the area.” he continued.
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Images from Tarmac Linemarking Australia.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
