Safety Marking Finds a Life-Saving Strategy to Protect Work Zones
After multiple accidents and too many close calls in work zones, Safety Marking turned to advanced radar speed signs to improve driver awareness, protecting workers and reducing risks for drivers.
The Client
Safety Marking is a leading provider of highway and road line striping in the Northeast United States. With a reputation for excellence, the company is dedicated to being the safest and most efficient pavement marking contractor in the industry. They take immense pride in their skilled workforce and high-quality workmanship, ensuring that every project is completed to the highest standards. At the heart of their operations is a deep commitment to worker safety. Safety Marking continually invests in innovative solutions to protect their team members while maintaining productivity in high-risk environments.
The Challenge
Most of the work done by Safety Marking takes place at night, when visibility is poor and the roads are replete with tired, and even drunk, drivers. Unfortunately, workers in these environments are often faced with speeding vehicles, and too many accidents have happened in Safety Marking’s work zones.
One of the biggest challenges the company faced was a recurring issue with drivers speeding through active work zones. Despite using traditional warning signs like arrow boards and strobe lights on their trucks, the effectiveness of these measures was limited. Drivers were often desensitized to these common traffic control devices and continued to speed, putting workers, and themselves, at risk.
After several unfortunate accidents and numerous close calls, John Baker, the Fleet Manager for Safety Marking, began to explore more advanced safety solutions. His goal was to find a way to capture drivers’ attention more effectively and encourage them to slow down to safer speeds before they entered the work zone.
The Solution
After researching various options, Mr. Baker discovered the Traffic Logix radar speed signs. The company purchased 13 of the compact, high-visibility signs, which mount easily on the back of their trucks and provide real-time speed data to passing vehicles. Unlike previous solutions, these signs require no manual adjustments when switching between different road types or speed limits. They automatically adjust to detect speeds from 0 to over 100 mph, displaying real-time information to approaching drivers.
The compact radar signs display driver speeds but also flash driver responsive messaging. These messages can be programed with limitless possibilities using any combination of text and graphics. The signs grab drivers’ attention, offering visual, interactive input ideal for today’s highly distracted drivers. Durable, and weather resistant, the signs are a reliable, low-maintenance choice for work zones and other high-risk environments.
Safety Marking mounts each sign on a hitch that’s attached to a frame on the back of their trucks, positioned to ensure visibility across multiple lanes of traffic. The signs are wired into the truck so that when the work lights are activated, the radar signs automatically turn on, displaying the speed of oncoming vehicles. If a driver exceeds the speed limit, the sign flashes a warning message in bright red or yellow, alerting drivers to the potential dangers ahead.
The Benefits
Since implementing the Traffic Logix radar speed signs, Safety Marking has seen a significant improvement in driver behavior. Workers on-site have reported a noticeable reduction in the number of speeding vehicles passing through work zones. The real-time speed data displayed on the signs has been particularly effective in capturing drivers’ attention, with drivers visibly slowing down as they approach the work zone.
“It’s a constantly changing message,” noted Mr. Baker, “So it really grabs your attention.”
Safety Marking is confident they will be able to continue using these signs for many years to come, with Mr. Baker noting that “that the signs have proven to be indestructible….and they work really well.”
The signs’ ability to maintain performance despite weather conditions and rough handling has been crucial for the demanding needs of the fleet.
Mr. Baker’s team has also appreciated the simplicity of the system. With no need for manual adjustments, the signs are intuitive to operate. Safety Marking is continuing to expand its fleet of vehicles equipped with the devices. “We just ordered more for new trucks we’re having built,” said Mr. Baker. “The feedback from our drivers has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’ve seen a real difference in the safety of our work zones.”
In addition to improving safety, Mr. Baker has been pleased with the support from the manufacturer. “Sales and troubleshooting have been great. The customer service is excellent, and I look forward to exploring more Traffic Logix safety products in the future.”
But the primary appeal of the radar signs remains in their ability to protect Safety Marking workers and ensure that speeding cars don’t put their lives at risk. As Mr. Baker so poignantly noted,
