With continuously increasing cars on the road and kilometres driven, traffic equipment trends focus on keeping road users and workers safe, especially as traffic peak hours force more roadside work into the evenings and nights. Demand for high-visibility traffic vests, cones, and barricade tapes continues to grow—the market for global traffic safety products is expected to reach almost a billion USD by 2023—but like in many other industries, technology has provided space for exciting safety innovations. Here are a few of the latest and greatest trends in traffic equipment:
Smart Traffic Cones
Smart technology has made wireless roadside perimeters a reality. Integrated into traffic cones, smart technology can provide workers with warning signals whether vibration, audio, or visual alarms if perimeters are broken. Smart traffic cones can include sensors that detect impacts and communications modules that send automated text message alerts to site supervisors and initiate message signs for visual warnings. They are part of a larger trend toward smart work zones. Combined with existing safety measures, they can significantly enhance safety.
Wearable GPS Technology
Many vehicles now come equipped with GPS technology and traffic equipment innovators are designing vests with corresponding technology that communicates with vehicles in close proximity using GPS tracking and short-range radio receivers to alert workers of potential collisions. They are part of a larger trend toward remote monitoring. If widely adopted, they have significant potential to reduce work fatalities on roads.
Remote Monitoring
Drones and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) are technologies driving the trend toward remote monitoring. They can be used to provide real-time data on road conditions and work zones in order to predict and mitigate safety hazards. This is especially helpful for projects that may be affected by microclimates or obstacles that limit visibility. Their adoption complements and enhances existing safety measures.
LED-Enhanced Visibility
The accessibility of LED lights has made enhanced visibility a reachable goal for traffic equipment where LED lights are being integrated into vests, cones, and barricades making them visible from up to 1,300 feet away. Powered by alkaline or rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged through a USB cable, LED integrations offer over 20 hours of continuous light and have been proven to reduce safety risks.
Eco-Friendly Materials
Last but not least, sustainable development goals are driving a trend toward the use of more eco-friendly and recyclable materials for traffic equipment. From products made with recycled rubber keeping waste such as tires out of our landfills to paper-based traffic cones, innovators are finding ways to minimize traffic equipment’s footprint on our planet without compromising safety objectives—something we can all get behind.
As leaders in traffic management solutions, The Universal Group takes pride in learning about the latest and greatest in the industry to keep our workers safe and provide our customers top-of-the-line service. So be sure to reach out to Universal Traffic Supply for all of your traffic equipment needs. We promise to keep you in-the-know when something new comes along that can enhance traffic solutions for your next project.