You will have no doubt noticed that all highway maintenance vehicles have fluorescent markings on the back of them. But do you know the reasons why? These high visibility markings on the back of vehicles are called chapter 8 chevrons. They are there to provide clear visibility to other road users to prevent accidents.
Chapter 8 chevrons were brought in by the government to help reduce the number of accidents involving high risk vehicles, such as vehicles that operate at night time in the dark, and also vehicles that make a lot of starts and stops on roads.
There are many different types of vehicles that require Chapter 8 chevrons. One of these are emergency service vehicles. Police vehicles, ambulances and fire engines all require Chapter 8 chevrons. This is because they are likely to be travelling at high speeds, and it is also very possible for them to need to stop on or near a road.
Lorries and other large commercial vehicles are also required to have chapter 8 markings mostly because of their size and weight. They are also likely to be operating in the evening when it is dark outside, so it is important that they are always visible to other road users.
Road working vehicles are also required to have high visibility markings. These vehicles include cranes, vans, mixer trucks and excavator trucks. As they operate on roads and major highways, it is very important that they are clearly visible to other road users, to prevent any accidents from occurring.
If you want to find out more about Chapter 8 Chevrons, you can visit www.pvluk.com/chapter-8-chevrons
It is very important that all these vehicles have the appropriate high visibility markings. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RSPA) 40% of road collisions occur in the hours of darkness. The reason this is so high is believed to be for a number of reasons. One reason is tiredness and lack of awareness of road users at night time, but the major reason is because of the lack of visibility in the darkness. Because of this, it is clear that large vehicles and vehicles that are likely to make sudden stops on the road are clearly visible to other drivers. That is why it is essential that they have Chapter 8 chevrons.
