Skip to main content

High-tech road studs can help tackle accident trend

According to road safety engineer Alan Vass of the Traffic and Road Safety section of Ayrshire Roads Alliance in Scotland, LED road studs have contributed to a 100 per cent reduction in incidents on a stretch of the A719 road in the county. Vass says the active studs, which use LED and solar technology to create delineation shown to be far more effective than traditional retro-reflective studs, could hold the key to a brighter future. He said: “There had been a number of accidents on the A719 near Wat
October 3, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
According to road safety engineer Alan Vass of the Traffic and Road Safety section of Ayrshire Roads Alliance in Scotland, LED road studs have contributed to a 100 per cent reduction in incidents on a stretch of the A719 road in the county.

Vass says the active studs, which use LED and solar technology to create delineation shown to be far more effective than traditional retro-reflective studs, could hold the key to a brighter future.

He said: “There had been a number of accidents on the A719 near Waterside village in Ayrshire and the council wanted to do all they could to address the issue.

“The road is predominantly straight but also has a series of fairly sharp bends and we were keen to enhance safety whilst limiting impact on the environment in a rural area.

“We installed LED active studs and statistics prove we’ve seen dramatic results.

“I think it won’t be long before other authorities look at what East Ayrshire Council has done and realise the technology could have similar positive implications for them.”

Supplied by Rennicks UK, some 180 of the solar-recharged battery-powered SR-15 Active Road Studs were installed, providing bright delineation and advance warning of bends. The units, which contain two bi-directional LEDs, highlight both the horizontal and vertical geometry of the road and help improve visibility of the centre and carriageway edges, while a rumble effect warns drivers who encroach on to the opposite carriageway.

Studies showed four injury accidents on the major semi-rural road in just three years prior to the studs being installed and there have been no reported incidents since.

Vass added: “It’s clear the scheme contributed towards a fantastic reduction in the number of reported injury accidents and the site continues to perform well in all weather conditions.

“The studs remain bright and clearly highlight each lane, enhancing safety by aiding night-time driving and particularly during rainy, snowy or foggy weather.

“Ayrshire Roads Alliance has received very positive feedback from local residents and commuters and the studs will without doubt be considered for future road safety schemes.”

Related Content

  • San Diego: Let there be (street)light
    March 30, 2020
    The influence of intelligent streetlights is spreading. David Crawford finds that San Diego’s deployment – and attendant legislation – may offer a blueprint for other cities going forward
  • Two wheels good
    June 25, 2018
    As cycling becomes an increasingly popular method for commuting and recreation, what moves are afoot to keep the growing numbers of cyclists safe on ever-more-busy roads? Alan Dron puts on his helmet and pedals off to look. It would have seemed incredible just a decade ago, but cycling in London has become almost unfeasibly popular. The Transport for London (TfL) June 2017 Strategic Cycling Analysis document noted there were now 670,000 cycle trips a day in the UK capital, an increase of 130% since 2000.
  • Clearview launches ROI calculators for road safety schemes
    December 5, 2017
    Clearview Intelligence (CI) has launched two free to use Return on Investment (ROI) calculators to assist highway professionals in showing the benefit of improving road safety on their network. The tools are said to demonstrate how road safety schemes pay for themselves during their lifetime as well as quantify the number of lives saved and injuries prevented. Designed for SolarLite Active Road Stud installations and the other for combination road safety solutions, the tools use the costs of accidents from
  • The red light camera choice: 60 killed or save US$231 million a year
    June 5, 2015
    David Crawford investigates new cost-benefit analysis of red light cameras. US states can now realistically calculate the economic benefits of using red light safety cameras, alone or in combination with other measures, to cut road traffic accident levels. The results could be of material value in making the case for the cameras as a number of state legislatures continue to debate their acceptability.