Wall of water halts lorries

After a string of heavy goods lorry drivers drove their over-sized vehicles through low tunnels, causing huge traffic delays and damaging the tunnel structure, Australian authorities took extreme action. They had tried flashing signs, neon signs and staggered signs to no avail, so drivers are now greeted with a curtain of water falling from the tunnel entrance, with a huge stop sign projected on to it. The Softstop virtual barrier created by Laservision creates the illusion of a solid sign, forcing the driv
May 17, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
After a string of heavy goods lorry drivers drove their over-sized vehicles through low tunnels, causing huge traffic delays and damaging the tunnel structure, Australian authorities took extreme action.

They had tried flashing signs, neon signs and staggered signs to no avail, so drivers are now greeted with a curtain of water falling from the tunnel entrance, with a huge stop sign projected on to it.

The Softstop virtual barrier created by 7344 Laservision creates the illusion of a solid sign, forcing the drivers to stop - but if they cannot halt in time, it has no physical impact on the vehicle.

Laservision said that the Sydney Harbour Tunnel has experienced more than 10,000 incidents of vehicles hitting the structure since it opened.

The damage caused by too large vehicles crashing into the overhead of the tunnel affected up to 12,000 motorists at peak time, the company said.  This method means that the drivers avoid damaging their vehicles, cargo and road infrastructure.

Related Content

  • February 23, 2017
    LiDAR sets its sights on future problems
    AAdvances in LiDAR are helping transport authorities improve services and identify potential problem areas, as geospatial technology expert Dr Neil Slatcher explains. The effects of climate change on the transport infrastructure have long been a cause of concern within the transportation sector - and not only on the structures themselves but also on the surrounding areas. This year, those concerns have become reality with landslides, structural collapses and surfacing issues impacting services across the wo
    Read More
  • April 5, 2017
    Autonomous vehicles will not prevent half of real-world crashes
    Alan Thomas of CAVT looks at the reality behind the safety claims fuelling the drive towards autonomous vehicles
    Read More
  • March 4, 2019
    TISPOL says gig economy tears up enforcement rulebook
    The road safety enforcement sector is facing a crisis. Rulebooks around the world are going to have to change as our roads become a high-pressure workplace for millions of gig economy workers. Geoff Hadwick reports from the TISPOL conference Traffic police forces everywhere will need a fresh approach to regulating the way in which our highways are being used, senior enforcement officers were told at the latest TISPOL European Traffic Police Network annual conference. The World Health Organisation puts it
    Read More
  • November 12, 2015
    Driver aids make inroads on improving safety
    In-vehicle anti-collision systems continue to evolve and could eliminate some incidents altogether. John Kendall rounds up the current developments. A few weeks ago, I watched a driver reverse a car from a parking bay at right angles to the road, straight into a car driving along the road. The accident happened at walking pace, no-one was hurt and both cars had body panels that regain their shape after a low speed shunt.
    Read More

Highlighted Content