RETROREFLECTORIZATION OF THE U.S. ARMY'S LINE HAUL CARRIER IN GERMANY

One thousand tractors and 2700 trailers of the US Army's line haul carrier in Germany were equipped with encapsulated lens reflective sheeting on the mudflaps. In addition, all trailers were marked with 4" x 96" red and yellow stripes of encapsulated lens sheeting across the rear of the trailer. The impetus for the retroreflectorization of the Group's vehicles was a motorcycle fatality that occurred in December 1979, where the cyclist ran into the rear of the trailer on the autobahn. Concurrently the Group was receiving 1200 new 40 foot trailers as replacements for 28 foot trailers, and there was concern about the conspicuity of these longer trailers. The results after three years show three accidents versus the expected twelve from the baseline period. While the final results cannot be statistically validated, the favorable comments from drivers as well as the German press reinforce the face validity of increasing truck conspicuity to avoid rear-end crashes at night.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the 28th Annual Conference, Denver, Colorado, October 8-10, 1984.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Association for Automotive Medicine

  P.O. Box 222
  Morton Grove, IL  United States  60053
• Authors:
  • Rogers, W C
• Conference:
  • 28th Annual Conference of the American Association for Automotive Medicine
  • Location: Denver Colorado, United States
  • Date: 1984-10-8 to 1984-10-10
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 63-68
• Monograph Title: PROCEEDINGS OF THE TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE, DENVER, COLORADO, USA, OCTOBER 8-10, 1984. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR AUTOMOTIVE MEDICINE

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Line haul; Prevention; Rear end crashes; Reflectorized materials; Retroreflectors; Safety; Splash guard; Tractor trailer combinations; Traffic safety; Trailers; Truck tractors; Visibility
• Old TRIS Terms: Line haul transport
• Subject Areas: Highways; Motor Carriers; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00395795
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 30 1985 12:00AM