Installing large reflectors on trucks and trailers
Traffic safety regulations require vehicles to use reflective tape to improve visibility at night. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's road transport vehicle safety standards require freight vehicles with a total vehicle weight of 7 tons or more to be equipped with "large rear reflectors."
The safety standards for road transport vehicles have been partially revised,
It was announced in the Official Gazette dated January 30, 2007 that the "Economic Rear Reflector Regulation (No. 70)" (ECE R70) will be adopted from April 1, 2007 (mandatory application for vehicles produced on or after September 1, 2011).
In response to this, the "Safety Standards for Road Transport Vehicles" (Ministry of Transport Ordinance No. 67 of 1951) and the "Notification Stipulating the Details of Safety Standards for Road Transport Vehicles" (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Notification No. 619 of 2002) were revised.
Vehicles produced after September 1, 2011 will be required to be equipped with products that meet the technical requirements of ECE R70.
[Amendment details]
★The types of reflectors used have been limited to "zebra type" for trucks and tractors and "frame type" for trailers.
★ Change in installation requirements: Top end is 1.5m or less →
The lower end must be 0.25m or more above ground, and the upper end must be 1.5m or less above ground (however, if installation is difficult due to the structure of the vehicle, it must be 2.1m or less)
★Large size: Rectangle with one side of 130mm or more, reflective area: 800cm2 or more, fluorescent area: 400cm2 or more →
Length (total if 2 or 4 pieces) 1,130mm to 2,300mm
For trucks and tractors Width: 140±10mm Stripe width: 100±2.5mm
・For trailers Width: 200+30/-5mm Edge: 40±1mm
★Improved reflective properties: Retroreflective coefficient 122 cd/lx/m2 → 300 cd/lx/m2 (2.5 times the current level)
Pedestrians wearing reflective materials
The installation of reflective materials on trucks and other vehicles is strictly mandatory in many countries under international standards, but while prefectural police are promoting the use of reflective materials by pedestrians, awareness of the effectiveness of pedestrian reflective materials in preventing accidents is not very high.
One reason for this may be that sashes and stickers with reflective material have a somewhat "unsightly" image, and many people find it troublesome to wear a sash over their shoulder every time they go out.
If you are worried about your children having accidents when they return home, you can sew reflective tape onto their everyday bags or backpacks, and the reflective material will help protect your family from traffic accidents without you even realizing it.
We strongly recommend wearing reflective materials with high contrast so that you can be more visible in the evening when the driver's eyesight is reduced. In other words, if your child's school bag is red, choosing a silver reflective tape will increase your visibility in the evening.
Use of reflective materials in sporting and maritime activities
Reflective materials are also used in marathons, bicycle races, car races, and other sporting events. Runners, bicycles, and vehicles can be easily spotted from afar during races, helping to ensure the safety of athletes and keeping scores and records.
Versatility of reflective tape
Many reflective sheets have an adhesive layer and can be used for multiple purposes. Some are produced for roads, and others are made for maritime safety such as SOLAS, so they are highly weather resistant and do not deteriorate in color or reflective properties. Once installed, they can withstand long-term use unless they are subjected to impact. When selecting a reflective material, we recommend narrowing down the purpose of use and considering the time of use and the conditions under which they will be used. If the use time is short and the environment is not very harsh, low-cost reflective materials are recommended. If you plan to use high reflective performance for a long time under harsh conditions, we recommend purchasing a high-performance, high-brightness reflective material after fully understanding the characteristics and features of the reflective material.
Types of reflective materials and their characteristics
Retroreflective material
Retroreflective materials are used in road signs, safety vests, etc. They reflect incoming light back in the direction it came from, which is why drivers can see signs and safety vests ahead of them.
There are two types of retroreflective materials: prism reflective materials that use microprisms, and glass bead reflective materials that use glass beads.
Glass bead reflective material
Light passes through the front surface of the glass bead and is refracted as it reflects off the mirrored surface behind the bead. The light then passes through the front surface back to the light source.
Reflective material that uses glass beads has low production costs, so when a large amount of reflective material is required or for construction signs that will be used for a short period of time and then discarded, the glass bead type is recommended from a cost perspective.
Glass bead reflective material has different manufacturing processes
- Exposed glass bead reflective material: The exposed type has glass beads evenly arranged on the reflective film, and the exposed glass beads provide high brightness, but on the other hand, durability is slightly lower than other types. It is mainly used for safety vests, etc.
- Encapsulated glass bead reflective material: The layer of glass beads in the encapsulated type is protected by a transparent resin. It is stain-resistant and highly durable, so it is used for road signs, etc.
- Encapsulated glass bead reflective material: The capsule type is a reflective material that has a layer of air on top of the glass beads, which is then covered with a transparent film. Compared to the encapsulated type, the layer of air enhances the inherent reflective performance of the glass beads. The capsule type glass bead reflective material is mainly used for road signs, etc.
Prismatic Reflector
Prism reflective materials are made by arranging prisms on a sheet and gluing them together. They produce the same retroreflective effect as glass bead reflective materials, but they can ensure higher brightness than glass beads, and are therefore used for road signs that require high brightness. Prism reflective materials have the following features:
- Soft prism reflector
- Rigid prism reflector
- Encapsulated prism reflector