The Effectiveness of Retroreflective Tape on Heavy Trailers

The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers' names appear only because they are considered essential to the object of this report. This report evaluates the effectiveness of retroreflective tape in enhancing the visibility of heavy trailers and reducing side and rear impacts by other vehicles into these trailers during dark conditions. It is based on a statistical analysis of 10,959 crash cases investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Pennsylvania State Police in 1997-1999. The tape is quite effective. It reduced side and rear impacts into trailers, in dark conditions (including "dark-not-lighted," "dark-lighted," "dawn," and "dusk") by 29 percent. In "dark-not-lighted" conditions, the tape reduced side and rear impact crashes by 41 percent. Tape is especially effective in reducing injury crashes. In dark conditions, it reduced side and rear impacts that resulted in fatalities or injuries to drivers of any vehicle by 44 percent. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge Glenn G. Parsons, retired NHTSA employee, who started this evaluation. He designed the study and the data form; contacted the states and established working agreements with the Florida Highway Patrol and the Pennsylvania State Police. I would also like to acknowledge the officers of the Florida Highway Patrol and the Pennsylvania State Police who collected the data, without which this report would not be possible. Ed Bleakly of the Florida Highway Patrol and Sergeant John Rigney of the Pennsylvania State Police managed the data collection effort in their states, submitted the forms to NHTSA, and coordinated the project with NHTSA. v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY All heavy trailers manufactured on or after December 1, 1993 must be equipped with red-and-white retroreflective tape, sheeting and/or reflex reflectors around the sides and rear to make them more conspicuous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) established this requirement, with its various options, in December 1992 by amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. " However, retroreflective tape has been used almost exclusively for meeting the standard, and it is the subject of this evaluation. Heavy trailers are at least 80 inches wide and have a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating over 10,000 pounds. The purpose of retroreflective tape is to increase the visibility of heavy trailers to other motorists, especially in the dark. At those times, the tape brightly reflects other motorists' headlights and warns them that they …