UK-based LED signage specialist Messagemaker has unveiled two new digital signs that will be used to improve road safety and reduce traffic speed, particularly in urban areas where local authorities are introducing 20mph (32km/h) zones.
The introduction of the new signs follows statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) which showed that 24% of all UK traffic accidents were as a result of speeding. Messagemaker’s new Speed Awareness Message (SAM) and Speed Limit Reminder (SLR) systems, which are built in the UK, are mounted to road-side posts and alert motorists who are speeding excessively.
The SAM systems work by telling a driver the speed they are doing and warning them to slow down. The SLR signs display the speed the motorist should be travelling. By alerting drivers to the speed they are travelling, the new signs are intended to help improve safety and reduce road traffic accidents.
The new speed awareness signs are lighter and easier to deploy than previous versions, and provide a cost-effective way for authorities to improve safety. LED road signs, such as SAM and SLR, provide cost-effective alternatives to constructing new road layouts or introducing speed cameras. With the available solar-power option, the signs can be moved easily, such as when a council introduces speed restrictions on a new route.
In a study by WHO, it was found that an adult hit by a vehicle travelling below 31mph (50km/h) had an 80% chance of surviving the collision.
In comparison, if a vehicle hit an adult at 50mph (80km/h), there was a 60% likelihood of death. At the recent Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) 2017 Road Safety Conference, a study presented by Professor Alan Tapp for Bristol City Council, looked into the introduction of 20mph zones and limits for roads in UK. Over two years (2013 and 2015), YouGov interviewed a total of 6,110 people and found that 65% supported 20mph limits in residential areas.
Messagemaker’s LED expert Nigel Parke said, “Our new signs are fully weatherproof and can be used to capture vehicle data. Both signs use high visibility displays so drivers can see the warning 100 meters ahead of their location. They can be used on different mounting points, such as lampposts and road signs, and the desired warning speed can be set up quickly. For a more permanent solution they can run off mains power.”
