When you drive your car at night or in heavy rain, it can be dangerous if you cannot see lanes or curves clearly. This can lead to dangerous crashes or accidents. For that reason, reflective cat eyes are actually installed on roads.
If you want to get complete knowledge about cat eye reflectors, this article is for you. We explained their types, working, advantages and installation process.
What Are Cat Eyes on the Road?
Suppose you are driving your vehicle on the road, you see small shiny bumps placed on the road surface. These reflective structures are called кошачьи глаза. They are installed to guide you for safe driving.
Generally, you will find these reflectors in a round or square shape. Their main job is to make roads more visible to you at night or in low light. Below are the main components of a cat eye.
Reflective Lens: Used to bounce the light back to the driver.
Base or Housing: They keep the reflector stable on the road.
Dome/Cover: These components protect the reflector from traffic and weather damage.
What Are Cats Eyes Made From?
Эти raised reflective pavement markings are available in different types based on the material and technology. Following are the main types of cat eyes you can find on roads.
Aluminum Cat Eyes
Aluminum cat eyes are made from high strength aluminum alloy. They offer you excellent durability and stay functional under heavy traffic loads. Hence, these cat eyes are ideal for you to use on high speed roads and areas with harsh weather conditions.
Plastic Cat Eyes
These reflective devices use durable and high impact polymers. They are lightweight but strong enough to handle regular traffic. Plastic cat eyes reflective surface is designed to maintain visibility in rain & fog. These cat eyes are cost effective and suitable for your most urban and residential projects.
Glass Cat Eyes
Glass cat eyes have a strong glass top that has the ability to reflect light very well. They make roads highly visible to you at night. Its base is made of metal or plastic to keep them safe from traffic. You can install them on heavy traffic highways.
Солнечные светодиодные лампы Cat Eyes
Если мы говорим о solar LED reflectors, they use small solar panels to charge built in lights. That means, these devices are more energy efficient for you. Further, they are very useful on highways and dangerous curves. Solar powered cat eyes are the best alternative to traditional cat’s eyes or paint lines.
How Do Cat Eye Reflectors Work?
Cat eyes reflectors operate on the base of a simple and powerful ideal called reflection. Lets see step by step working process of these passive raised devices.
1. High Visibility Surface
The upper section of cat eyes has a reflective lens. This lens may be made of plastic or glass. The major function of this transparent cover is to reflect light back toward your car’s headlights.
2. Car Headlights
As we know, the headlights of vehicles shine light well on the road at night. When this light hits the cat eye, its lens bounces back that light toward the driver.
3. Increased Road Clarity
The reflected or bounced back light toward you makes the cat eye bright and highly visible to you. As a result, you can clearly follow the road, see the lanes plus notice any hazards ahead.
4. Color Identification System/Color Coding
Well, cat eyes use different colors to guide you on highways. For example: white reflectors are placed between lanes to show the road direction. If you see yellow or amber cat eyes, it marks medians and warns you to be careful.
Cats Eyes Road Colours And Meanings
| Colors of Cat Eyes on Roads | Color Purpose |
| Yellow Reflector Cats Eye/Amber Cat’s Eyes on Road | Show you no passing zones, dividing lines and edges of road. They also alert about hazards such as sharp turns. |
| Blue Reflector Cat Eye | Placed near centerline to indicate the presence of a fire hydrant or water supply ahead. So, the emergency services can find water quickly at night. |
| Red Reflector Cats Eye | Mark the area you should not cross. These color reflectors are mostly placed at the left edge of the road (hard shoulder). |
| Green Reflector Cat Eye | Indicate you about exit points, lane to change directions, перекрестки, slip road or where side roads linked to highway. |
| Green or Yellow Cats Eye | Used to mark temporary lane changes, roadwork zones or center of the road. |
Who Invented the Cat’s Eye?
History of Cat’s Eyes
The cat’s eyes inventor is Percy Shaw from England. He was a road mender (repair and maintain roads). Basically, he got the idea of these devices in the 1930s when he noticed how a cat’s eyes reflected light at night. Inspired by this, he created the first светоотражающие дорожные шипы called cat’s eyes.
Later, Percy Shaw officially registered his invention in 1934. This is called a patent, which gives him legal ownership of the cat’s eyes idea. Shaw’s invention improved safety for drivers at night and is still used on roads all over the world today.
Applications of Road Cat Eyes
You can install cat eyes reflectors in many places to improve visibility and make the road safe for driving. Generally, you will see these reflective devices in the following areas.
- Urban environments
- Шоссе
- Crosswalks & pedestrian zones
- Construction areas
- Парковки
Cat Eyes Road Installation
You have to install cat eyes with the correct method, so they can reflect light properly at night. Below is a simple step by step process to place cat eyes on the road surface.
- Prepare Surface: You need to clean the road surface before installation. For that purpose, you must remove dust, dirt, oil and loose material. Also mark the spots where you want to install cat eyes. Correct spacing of these markings is also important for accurate placement.
- Select the Adhesive Materials: To fix cat eyes reflectors, you should choose strong road adhesive. Different options are available such as epoxy resin, bituminous or polyurethane adhesive.
- Apply Adhesive: You need to apply the adhesive to the marked area on the road. And, spread it evenly to form a strong bond. This way, the cat eye can stay fixed under traffic.
- Cat Eyes Placement: Now, it’s time to install cat eyes on fresh applied adhesive. You need to press it, so it can make proper contact with the road.
- Curing Time: You must allow the adhesive to dry completely after placement of the cat eyes. This curing time creates a strong bond of devices to the road. Also, traffic should stay off the area until the adhesive sets.
Advantages of Cat Eye Reflectors
Reduce Accidents
Due to cat eyes reflection, you can easily see edges and turns clearly at night. This guidance reduces the risk of accidents and keeps you safe on the road.
Улучшить транспортный поток
Cat eyes are useful for drivers to judge distances and speeds better at night. It keeps you alert about road alignment and curves. Hence, you can avoid sudden brakes & turns. This way, it keeps traffic moving smoothly and safely.
Promote Visibility/Clear Lane Guidance
Cat eyes make road markings easier to see on unknown roads. They give you a clear sense of lanes, curves, intersections & road edges. So, you can stay on track safely.
Durable And Low Maintenance
Cat eyes are manufactured with strong materials such as aluminum or glass. That’s why they can handle heavy traffic and harsh weather. Once you install them, they last for years with very little maintenance.
Suitable For All Road Types
You can install cat eyes on highways, city streets, rural roads and curves/intersections. Because, their design works in all traffic conditions, which make them a versatile safety solution.
Cat Eye Road Reflector Price
On average, the road cat eyes reflector costs you around $4 to $6. This price range can increase up to $20 based on cat eye type or feature. For example: plastic cat eyes are mostly affordable.
But, aluminum or glass ones cost more because they are stronger. However, if you want to buy solar-powered cat eyes, they are most expensive because they provide extra light at night.
Заключение
In the end, you can see cat eyes reflectors are small but powerful tools. They provide maximum safety in dark and harsh weather. If you follow these reflective markings, you can drive confidently as well as protect yourself and others.
We are a trusted manufacturer of cat eyes and other related traffic safety devices. Ты можешь связаться с нами to get high quality products for your project. You can also order in bulk and we deliver them directly to your location.
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Why Are Cats’ Eyes Being Removed From UK Roads?
Cat eyes are actually removed from UK roads mainly for maintenance and resurfacing. Engineers also take them off when they are old or damaged. Some are now being replaced with brighter and solar-powered LED studs for better visibility.
How Far Apart Are Cats’ Eyes on Roads?
The rule for space between cats eyes varies based on country and road types. However, you should place them at least 6 to 36 meters (20 to 120 ft) apart. On curves, you can install cat eyes closer together and for straight highways, they require more space.
What is the Lifespan of Cat Eyes Reflectors?
Most cat eyes safety reflectors can last for 3 to 10+ years. But, their durability is mainly based on cat eye type, material, traffic volume and environmental conditions. With proper maintenance, you can keep them functional for many years.
