TTC launches vehicle turning alarms

The increase in cycling in our cities and towns and the problems of “blind spot” hazards with heavy vehicles turning, has resulted in the number of deaths increasing significantly. There have been many attempts at solutions, nearly all of which alert the driver, not the cyclist or pedestrian.

It has also been noticed that on building sites, pedestrians wear ear defenders, cyclists on the road listen to music with earphones, which also reduces their concentration on their surroundings.
TTC is now able to offer two new products that will alert both the cyclist and the pedestrian, with or without earphones, that there is a risk to their safety.

Alarmalight

Developed at the request of National Transport Departments and vehicle operator organisations in a variety of European countries, the ultimate alarm and light warning system for vehicles making turns in urban environments is Alarmalight, which works off the indicator, to get the message about the danger to the cyclist or pedestrian because they are the ones in danger.

Among its unique features are:

• Flashing LED lights to attract the attention of the cyclist, pedestrian or in fact deaf person or the hard of hearing
• The ability to go significantly quieter at night to compensate for the reduced traffic noise, to be environmentally friendly
• Universal fit for any vehicle
• Automatically switches off if hazard lights are in operation
• The light is brighter when in “quiet mode” to increase awareness
• Can have any message in any language programmed into it
• On trial by various government bodies in Europe
• Possible insurance reduction thereby making the system the most cost effective on the market
• Male or female voice

The lights are directed down the “blind side” of the vehicle to enhance the warning and when the alarm is activated the lights flash in unison with this voice message:
Warning, this vehicle is turning left or  warning, this vehicle is turning RIGHT!
When mute or half volume is selected the lights flash brighter to highlight the danger.

TurnSafe

The Turnsafe audible alarm and light warning system is also designed to address these problems but does not offer the ‘verbal warning’, simply an audible alarm.
Both of these systems will work in conjunction with the vehicle direction indicators so that when the driver starts to signal a turn the warning device is activated.