Breaking down anywhere can be a hazard, especially if other motorists are not aware of the danger and have little time to avoid it. This can put lives at risk, particularly at higher speeds on major roads such as motorways.
In a bid to reduce collisions, The Highway Code says hazard warning triangles should be placed 45 metres behind a broken-down vehicle to alert other drivers, although it prohibits their use on motorways.
Unseen dangers
The AA and RAC attend five million breakdowns each year and not all drivers carry warning aids such as the triangles, which are not always easy to see for other motorists, especially when travelling at speed or in poor visibility. This led entrepreneur Richard Edwards to come up with an alternative which he believes will improve road safety.
Richard designed the Be-Seen-Screen to help make a broken-down vehicle stand out up to 500 metres away. Its red chevron design is instantly recognisable as a warning and can quickly be attached to the rear or a broken-down vehicle to alert others to the danger.
Richard told Fleet News: “With a Be-Seen-Screen on board, if your vehicle fails on a rainy afternoon in poor light conditions, you can have a bright, reflective warning sign in place in moments. By pressing the powerful suction pads to the rear windscreen or boot you can clearly and securely display the distinctive chevrons and ‘broken down’ message.
“The banner has the same reflectivity as emergency vehicles, day or night, to make other motorists aware of your stranded vehicle. It’s an eye-catching and faster alternative to safety triangles where the 45 metre walk along the carriageway to put them in place represents a risk in itself.”
Trials
The screen has been put through its paces by retailer Next which has been carrying out trials on 1,000 vehicles for the past 15 months.
Next group health, safety, environment and wellbeing manager Andy Latham told Fleet News the banner “significantly enhances visibility during breakdown situations” and provides greater safety for staff and other road users.
He said: “Unlike traditional safety triangles, the banner eliminates the need for employees to leave the immediate vicinity of their vehicle to deploy it.
“By attaching directly to the rear of the car, it minimises exposure to roadside dangers, especially in high-traffic or low-visibility conditions. Additionally, the banner’s superior visibility ensures that other road users are alerted sooner, reducing the risk of accidents.
“This initiative reflects our proactive approach to road safety and our dedication to protecting our team, setting a standard for corporate responsibility in vehicle safety measures. By adopting this advanced device, we are not only safeguarding our employees but also contributing to safer roads for everyone.”
The screen is also available with ‘Broken Down’ warning strips in different languages for those travelling abroad.
Simple and inexpensive devices such as this can help make taxi drivers – as well as everyone else who drives for a living – and their passengers safe in the event of a breakdown. The sooner other drivers are aware of the danger, the more time they have to avoid a crash, especially when travelling at speed, which could end in tragedy.
