You will have no doubt seen this on a works vehicle at some point, as we all occasionally drive by one somewhere along the roads: those splendidly bright red and yellow V’s in a striped pattern. The colours of the Chapter 8 chevrons are not for branding or tradition – it’s chosen to be seen quickly in poor visibility, with oncoming drivers possibly only having a blink or two to react.
Red and yellow = fast, high contrast
Red and yellow are at the “alerting” end of the spectrum. Practically this means they starkly contrast with:
Grey roads and tarmac
Grey open skies (that the UK is well known for)
Vans, trucks and plant looming out of the darkness
Headlights and glare at night
This contrast helps to more prominently identify the rear of a vehicle as an obstacle and not simply another car within traffic.
Movement cues in the chevron pattern
Those turned stripes are not only for show. It gives the eye a layer, which helps drivers:
Identify the vehicle is a works or slow moving encounter
Serve as a distance and closeness rate estimator
Even in low visibility, the rear outline of the vehicle.
In simple terms, it is not just any colour but a colour and pattern combination that attracts visibility.
Reflection Checklist: as well as the colour, reflectivity matters too
During the day, most of the red/yellow contrast handles that. In the dark (or rain, fog and spray), reflectivity is everything. For Chapter 8 Chevrons, contact www.vehiclechevrons.com/
Chevrons found on Chapter 8 reflect the light back in the direction of approaching drivers and are usually made from reflective materials. As a works vehicle is part of the fleet and has to be on road from time-to-time, chevrons light up brightly when measured against headlights behind it allowing drivers following one to detect it earlier, making them slow down sooner.
Why not other colours?
Other colour combos can appear vivid, but they do not always provide consistent results across varied lighting or weather conditions. It may not look like much, but red/yellow quickly won out as it is very visible and universally understood yet also easy to distinguish.
If you are sourcing chevrons for a fleet, do not automatically assume that any red/yellow kit is compliant. Consider the precise arrangement, angles between each panel as well as the direction they face in addition to how shiny a grade is used.
