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How bright white
lines make roads safer for everyone
The Titanium Dioxide
Manufacturers Association (TDMA)
White
lines enable road users to navigate safely and for traffic to be managed, but
what goes into making them so effective?
White
lines have been synonymous with road safety for over a century, and it is no
coincidence that the first white line road markings appeared around the same
time as the first wave of mass-produced cars.
Indeed,
the idea of putting a white line down the centre of a road was first conceived
by American Edward N Hines in 1911 – two years before Henry Ford established
the world’s first moving car assembly line.
Today,
it is easy to take such a simple innovation for granted, but the enormous
impact white lines have had on road safety – helping motorists around the world
to maintain lane discipline, and avoid oncoming traffic and other potential
hazards – cannot be overstated.
The
effectiveness of white line road markings owes much to chemistry, and
specifically, to titanium dioxide (TiO2).
White
line markings can only serve a purpose if they can easily be seen by all road
users, in all conditions.
TiO2
plays a crucial role in ensuring this is the case.
TiO2
is among the brightest white substances in the world, and the way it interacts
with light means, even at night, or in poor weather conditions, white road
markings display prominently in car headlights.
This
gives motorists the best possible chance of following the road safely.
How
do white line road markings work?
White
line road markings are made using thermoplastic resin, mixed with titanium
dioxide pigment and glass beads.
The
pigment provides a bright white, highly visible colour, and beads act as
‘retroreflectors’ – which means they reflect some light back to its source.
At
night, the light from a car’s headlights will reflect from the markings back to
the driver, helping them to see the road easily.
Can
other pigments do the same job as titanium dioxide?
No
other pigments can offer the same all-round quality in the same quantities.
While
other substances, such as barium sulphate and kaolin, can replace certain
amounts of TiO2 in formulations, they lack the opacity of TiO2 and can never
replace the entire amount.
In
addition, far higher dosages of barium sulphate are required to achieve a
comparable result – making TiO2 a more cost effective solution – not to mention
the fact that market supply of TiO2 far outstrips that of barium sulphate.
Consequently,
TiO2 is the principal white pigment used in the world today – especially in
this application.
Due
to its high reflectivity and durability, it combines the highest degree of
safety with the most efficient of resources.
Contributing
to better road safety
Used
in white markings, TiO2 helps to prevent traffic accidents by making it
possible for drivers and cyclists to travel safely.
Without
bright white road markings, more and improved street lighting could be
required, with high economic cost.
Many
countries have specific requirements to ensure that road markings are bright,
visible and clear.
Within
the EU, for example, road markings are required to meet minimum performance
standards, based on their luminance, day-time visibility, night-time visibility,
skid resistance and durability.
Such
standards are perhaps part of the reason we are living in an age when road
safety standards have never been better.
Since
2010, the number of fatalities recorded each year on EU roads has fallen by
nearly a fifth, and the EU has a strategic target to halve the number of road
deaths between 2010 and 2020.
While
there is a huge range of factors that contribute to road safety – from improved
safety features on vehicles to better driver education and awareness – titanium
dioxide certainly has an important role to play.
The Titanium Dioxide
Manufacturers Association (TDMA)
represents the major producers of titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) and has been
their voice in Europe since 1974.
Our members develop products
and applications that are seen in almost every aspect of daily life. Across the
globe, TiO2 is used in everything from paints, plastics and paper to
make-up and sunscreen. Find out
more about titanium dioxide.
The range of innovative uses
for TiO2 keeps on increasing. In recent years, for example, it has been
used in the manufacture of cheap and efficient solar cells and building facades
that can neutralise air pollution.
The products and applications
developed by our members are at the heart of this incredible innovation. The
role of TDMA is to support our members by promoting and defending the merits of
TiO2 in all suitable applications. We provide comprehensive, authoritative
and trusted information about the safety and use of TiO2 .
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