What are cat's eye road studs and how do they work?

Driving along a winding highway on a foggy night, the low visibility makes it difficult to see where you are going. This is where the cat's eye road studs, which are light spots on the road that flash like a cat's eye, become crucial in guiding the way. Not to mention its small size, it is crucial in road traffic safety. The following is an in-depth discussion of its definition, origin, working principle, importance, advantages and disadvantages, and color meaning.
 

What are cat's eye road studs ?

A cat's eye road studs, officially known as a reflective road studs, is a small device that is embedded in the road surface. It is a small device that is embedded in the road surface, but its function is not to be underestimated. In low light conditions, it reflects the light from a vehicle's headlights, providing drivers with a clear view of the road.Reflective road studs have a unique design that mimics the way a cat's eye reflect light in the dark, hence the name. This unique shape maximizes light reflection, enhances visibility and ensures effective performance in a variety of complex environments.
 

the History of cat's eye road studs

Background

Since the invention of the automobile, people have been exploring ways to make driving safer and more convenient. The emergence of the cat's eye road stud has been an important step in the realization of this goal. Its history can be traced back to almost one hundred years ago.
 

Invention story

In 1933, British inventor Percy Shaw created the cat's eye road studs. There are two versions of the story that inspired the invention. One is that after the tram tracks were removed from a local road, Percy Shaw realized that he had been relying on the reflection of the tram tracks to determine the edge of the road when driving at night. This discovery prompted him to consider the possibility of inventing a reflective device specifically for road guidance.Another, more romantic story is that Percy Shaw was driving when a cat flashed across the road, its bright eye standing out in the darkness, giving Percy Shaw an instant burst of inspiration. Whatever the truth of the story, cat's eye road studs soon became commonplace on roads all over the world, and Percy Shaw was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his brilliant invention.
 

Why are cat's eye road studs important?

Significantly improves visibility

Cat's eye road studs are made from a special reflective material which makes them visible in all lighting conditions. Their unique cat's eye shape has been carefully designed to reflect light in a concentrated manner so that drivers can notice them from a long distance. This high visibility helps drivers to recognize the road layout and potential hazards in advance, providing a strong guarantee for safe driving.
 

Safeguarding Nighttime Driving

At night, poor lighting conditions are an important factor leading to traffic accidents. And reflective road studs are like a bright light in the darkness, illuminating the road ahead for drivers by reflecting the vehicle's headlight light. They clearly outline the road at night, allowing drivers to accurately judge their driving position, effectively reducing accidents caused by poor visibility.
 

Playing a key role in bad weather

When encountering inclement weather such as heavy rain, fog or snow, traditional road markings may become blurred or even completely obscured. Cat's eye road studs, however, are unaffected by these factors and continue to function normally. Their reflective properties are particularly important in bad weather, helping drivers to drive safely in difficult conditions and ensuring road worthiness.
 

How do cat's eye road studs Work

Reflective Mechanism

At its core, a cat's eye road studs works by reflecting the light from a vehicle's headlights. Each cat's eye road studs unit contains pairs of glass beads that face in opposite directions. Regardless of which direction the vehicle is approaching from, the light hitting the glass beads is reflected back into the driver's vision, thus guiding the driver in the direction of the road.
 

Self-protection mechanism

In order to prevent the reflective road studs from being damaged by the frequent running over of vehicles, the exterior is designed with a rubberized shell. When the vehicle drives over the catenary, the rubber shell will be compressed by the extrusion, at this time, the internal reflective surface will then drop below the road surface, avoiding direct contact with the wheels, thus effectively protecting the reflective parts and prolonging the service life of the catenary.
 

Self-cleaning function

Cat's eye road studs also have an ingenious self-cleaning function. When a vehicle presses over the catenary, the rubber mold compresses and the rainwater collected at the bottom is squeezed out and used to rinse the reflective glass bead. This removes dust, dirt and other impurities from the surface of the glass bead, keeping it clear and clean at all times and ensuring that its reflective effect is not compromised.
 

Advantage and disadvantage of cat's eye road studs

Advantage

Cat's eye road studs have many advantages in road safety and security. It can greatly enhance road safety, in complex environments, help drivers accurately judge the road conditions, thus reducing the incidence of accidents. In areas without street lighting, cat's eye road studs can clearly show the road boundaries and help drivers stay in the right lane. It is highly adaptable to inclement weather, and can continue to function to guide drivers when heavy rain pours down and road markings may be blurred by rainwater. The vibration and sound generated by the cat's eye road studs warn drivers when vehicles are driving past and have drifted off the road or lane.

The cat's eye road studs operate without an external power source, relying only on the reflection of the vehicle's light, which is energy efficient and environmentally friendly, and avoids failure due to power cuts and other circumstances. It is also very strong and durable, with good resistance to pressure and abrasion, with a long service life. At the same time, catenary road studs will not cause damage to vehicle tires, very “friendly”. Moreover, compared to installing and operating street lights, the cost of installing catenary road studs is lower, which can save a lot of money for road construction and maintenance.
 

Disadvantage

Of course, catenary road studs are not perfect. It costs more to install and replace, and compared to road markings, it requires more investment, both for initial installation and subsequent replacement due to damage. If the installation process is not standardized, it is easy to lead to the loosening of the road studs, which in turn affects the effectiveness of its use and can not play a good role in guiding. In addition, when vehicles drive by, cat's eye road studs will produce noise, which may cause nuisance to nearby residents. Moreover, cat's eye road studs have a limited scope of application and cannot be installed on unpaved roads, which limits their application in some unpaved road scenarios.
 

Why are cat's eye road studs different colours and what do they Mean

White cat's eye road studs

White cat's eye road studs are usually placed in the centerline of a roadway. Their purpose is to guide drivers to stay in the correct lane, ensuring that vehicles travel smoothly in the center of the road and avoiding dangerous situations such as collisions with oncoming vehicles due to deviation from the centerline. White cat's eye road studs are the most common type on UK roads.
 

Amber cat's eye road studs

Amber cat's eye lane road studs are found in the third lane of a road. They are used to demarcate the boundary between the carriageway and the central divider, reminding drivers not to cross that boundary into the central divider area. In poor visibility or adverse weather conditions, amber cat's eye lane road studs are effective in helping drivers to identify lane boundaries for safety.
 

Green cat's eye road studs

Green cat's eye road studs are mainly used to indicate exits or ramps on highways. They allow drivers to clearly identify the correct driving route in the complex highway environment and make accurate judgment whether entering or exiting the highway. In addition, green cat's-eye road studs are used to mark the location of parking strips on freeways and A-roads, as well as to provide important guidance to drivers in the event of temporary changes to the road layout, such as road construction.
 

Red cat's eye road studs

Red cat's-eye road studs are located in the left-hand lane of a roadway and are used to indicate to drivers that they are not to cross the lane markings into the hard shoulder area. In foggy or winter weather conditions, red cat's eye road studs can guide drivers to stay in the main lane, avoiding the hard shoulder due to poor visibility and ensuring the normal order of the road.
 

Summarize

Cat's eye road studs, this seemingly small device, but in the field of road traffic safety plays an irreplaceable role. From its unique design and working principle, to its important functions in different scenarios, to its advantages and disadvantages as well as the rich information contained in different colors, we can see its importance to modern transportation.Despite some shortcomings, with the continuous progress and improvement of technology, cat's eye road studs will surely continue to shine in the future of road safety and security for every driver's travel. If you have had special feelings or discoveries about cat's eye road studs in your daily driving, please feel free to share them with us, so that we can have a deeper understanding of this”little guardian”on the road together.