The safety tour started in San Antonio at the end of January when the custom designed 18-wheel truck including a 16m-long trailer arrived in the Texas city. The last stop will be Saskatoon, Canada, in early October.
“Our tour will present innovative roadway and vehicle solutions to many of the problems that drivers face,” said John Riccardi, vice president and general manager of the safety division.
“This includes reduced visibility due to inclement weather, night-time driving and the hazards encountered in work zones. The existing and future technologies showcased help make the driving experience safer for everyone.” Demonstrations and explanations cover anti-graffiti surfaces, fluorescent technology and custom design creation. There is also a virtual reality experience to show how autonomous vehicles interact with traffic signs, work zones and lane markings.
3M is a partner in the Toward Zero Deaths campaign, a national US strategy that was developed with input from private highway and infrastructure companies with support from several federal agencies within the US Department of Transportation.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2016, more than 37,000 people died on US highways, a 5.6% increase from 2015.