New 3M ™ Stamark ™ A380AW Ground Marking Makes Road Safer

In constant search for the most innovative techniques to improve road safety, 3M is offering road and motorway managers its new 3M Stamark A380AW ground marking strip which has the highest certification * in Visibility at Night and in Rainy Weather ( VNTP). With this level of performance in dry and rain, resistant to wear and bad weather, the Stamark A380AW strips meet the needs of road officials to secure the areas most at risk (pedestrian crossings, ramps for entrances and outings…) and protect the agents working on the road.

* NF, VNTP certification, 2 wheel arches

Night and rain: aggravating accident factors

If the night concentrates only 10% of traffic, it represents more than 40% of fatal accidents. Driving at night and in rainy weather requires increased driver attention. Indeed, these conditions greatly reduce visual acuity and the appreciation of distances decreases. They make the road environment less perceptible and reduce the anticipation of users.

Statistics - accidents at night and in rainy weather^[1]

• In 2016, more than 43% of those killed were killed at night, while night traffic represented only 10% of total traffic
• Driving at night in rainy weather increases the risk of personal injury by 7,7 times and by 10 times the risk of a fatal accident, compared to driving in rainy days.

^[1] BAAC file from www.securite-routiere.gouv. (2016 metropolitan France data)

3M ™ Stamark ™ A380AW technology: optimal visibility for road user safety

In order to make the road safer, night and day and in all weathers, 3M innovates and offers the French market its Stamark A380AW ground marking solution. The 3M Stamark A380AW marking uses exclusive technology, a mixture of two types of microcrystalline ceramic beads, resistant to traffic, with two different refractive indices. These balls make it possible to return the light emitted by the headlights of the vehicle more efficiently. Thanks to microbeads with an index of 1,9, visibility at night in dry weather is perfect. The 2,4 index microbeads are the only ones today that allow excellent visibility of the marking at night, even if it is completely covered with water.

More visible, longer than conventional markings

Ultra resistant to traffic, this new 3M marking offers unprecedented performance in France. Certification measures have proven that after 2 wheel arches, the 000M Stamark A000AW marking remains more visible than conventional markings, even new ones.

These qualities make the 3M Stamark A380AW an ideal marking to fight against the drop in attention of the driver in areas where he must be particularly vigilant, as well as in complex places to maintain: 2x2 lane entrances / exits, pedestrian crossings in line right, drawdown arrows, Narrow Road Marking.

3M ™ Stamark ™ tape, easy and quick to install, also contributes to better safety for emergency workers

On the road, the technicians who intervene to maintain the roads are particularly vulnerable. In 2017, highway personnel were involved in an accident every two days on average, and an officer died. Since 2015, accidents involving highway personnel have increased by 35,7%! (2) Spending these agents as little time as possible on the road is therefore crucial for their safety.

Ready to install, Stamark tapes are quick to apply. Applied directly behind the paver or cold, without primer or drying time, their ease of use considerably reduces the duration of exposure of agents to traffic.

Likewise, their resistance and long-term performance reduce the number of operations on the same site.

Formulated without heavy metals and applied without additional chemicals, Stamark tapes are also respectful of agents' health and help preserve the environment.

Technology adapted to the road of the future

If the autonomous vehicle remains a challenge, today's cars are already “intelligent” for better driving comfort and increased safety. The lane departure warning and the lane keeping aid detect and visualize in particular the markings on the ground. Stamark tapes are designed to optimize this detection, day and night, in all weathers, and in the long term. 3M signaling solutions are evolving in line with the increasing automation of the vehicle, at the service of safety and driving comfort.