Citation

Styles T, Cairney P, Studwick G, Purtill S. Proc. Australas. Road Safety Res. Policing Educ. Conf. 2003; 7(2): 550-555.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, copyright holder varies, Publisher Monash University)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Self-activated pavement markers are designed to provide enhanced road delineation in the event of wet weather, fading light, or ice formation by means of a solar powered LED. Three aspects of the performance of the self-activated pavement markers were assessed. First, laboratory tests were used to determine the consistency of the markers' on-off thresholds in response to fading light, fog, and low temperatures. Second, the "in service" performance of the markers was assessed via inspection of several trial installation sites. Third, the impact of the pavement markers on driver behaviour was measured by means of a "before and after" observational study. The on/off threshold of the pavement markers is accurate enough for their purpose and they do appear to encourage drivers to travel more slowly and to place their vehicles further from the centre of the road in some circumstances. Nonetheless, the self-activated pavement markers do not appear to be sufficiently robust, being susceptible to theft, vandalism, and damage by traffic.