Redhill-based signage specialists Messagemaker has unveiled two new LED signs which will be used to improve road safety and reduce traffic speed. The introduction of the new signs follow statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) which showed that 24% of all UK traffic accidents were as a result of speeding.
Messagemaker, part of the Stocksigns Group, has over twenty years of experience with standard and specialist LED displays. They have supplied bespoke signs to Barclays, Williams F1, London Heathrow, Gatwick Airport , Excel, Tesco, Selfridges and many more.
The new Speed Awareness Message (SAM) and Speed Limit Reminder (SLR) systems, 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, they will help improve safety and reduce road traffic accidents.
In a study by WHO, it was found that an adult hit by a vehicle travelling below 50 kilometres per hour had an 80% chance of surviving the collision. In comparison, if a vehicle hit an adult at 80 kilometres per hour, there was a 60% likelihood of death. The same study also showed that a 1 kilometre per hour increase in speed would result in a 4 – 5 % higher risk of death.
At the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Road Safety Conference, a study presented by Professor Alan Tapp for Bristol City Council, looked into the introduction of 20 mph zones and limits for roads in Great Britain. Over two years (2013 and 2015), YouGov interviewed a total of 6,110 people and found that 65% supported 20 mph limits in residential areas.
LED road signs, such as SAM and SLR, provide cost-effective alternatives to constructing new road layouts or introducing speed cameras. They can be adapted to different post sizes and run on batteries which can be teamed with a solar panel. The versatility and simplicity of the signs allow them to be moved easily, for example a local council may have reduced traffic speeds in one street and want to alert drivers on another route. The sign can be taken down quickly and placed in its new location without having to block traffic or change power supply.
Messagemaker’sLED 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 metres 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.”
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