If you are looking to purchase or are interested in learning more about the purpose of chevron kits, this blog post explains everything you need to know.

Chevron kits are used predominantly on the rear of vehicles to protect road operatives and the public, with an aim to reduce accidents on UK roads where there is a vehicle obstruction. The use of chevron kits comes under the requirements of Chapter 8, which is the name given to the traffic management attire on vehicles. The guidelines can be found in the Department of Transport’s Traffic Signs Manual, and are intended for vehicles operating on high-speed roads, such as Highway Maintenance vehicles. Ultimately, the regulations are in place to keep workers and other drivers safe on the road.

Chevron kits are available for vehicles such as cars, vans, gritters, and recovery trucks. Yellow and red chevron kits are the most recognised for marking road-work vehicles however, there are chevron alternatives available, such as a block colour of solid fluorescent orange-red retroreflective material.

Is Chapter 8 a law?

Although Chapter 8 is not legislation, if an accident were to happen and the vehicle was not clearly marked, there would be an increased probability of legal action to be taken. Road operatives and corporations have a duty to maintain safe practices of work for employers and the public, following the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Chapter 8 requirements

  • In compliance with Section 05.2.3 of Chapter 8, vehicles that are stopping or working on high-speed roads and motorways should have reflective markings which are visible to all oncoming traffic.
  • The reflective markings also known as chevron kits, should cover the rear of the vehicle as much as possible. They should avoid covering other important features such as windows, lights, and registration plates.
  • The chevrons should be pointing upwards, with alternating red and yellow stripes that are at least 150mm wide. They should be inclined at an angle between 45 > n < 60 degrees to horizontal.
  • For clear visibility, the red stripes should be retroreflective for nighttime and the fluorescent yellow stripes should be non-reflective for daytime.
  • Vehicles that are inconspicuous in colour such as yellow and white, and under 7.5 tonnes should also acquire a yellow micro-prismatic 50mm side marking along the length of the vehicle. Vehicles over 7.5 tonnes should use ECE 104 marking tape and EC70/70.1 rear marker chevron kits.
  • Class R3B materials are recommended on high-speed roads (motorways, dual carriageways), and Class R2 materials for road speeds under 40.
  • Red retroreflective stripes should be visible on rear-facing edges of doors and guardrails and equipment lockers.
  • The rear of the vehicle should be maintained and cleaned regularly to ensure the chevrons remain visible.

Research illustrates that outlining and making visible the contours of operational vehicles with reflective markings has drastically reduced the number of incidents on the roads. Chevron kits allow vehicles to be visible for up to 1000 metres and also makes them visible in darker lighting conditions. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents reported that 40% of road accidents occur when it is dark, therefore it is important for obstructing vehicles to have obvious markings. Research by the Vector Study-US supports this report by showing that the use of reflective markings reduces collisions by 21% in the nighttime and 14% during the day.

Here at ATC, we offer chevron kits for a variety of vehicles to stay safe on the roads, including car manufacturers such as BMW, Ford, Volkswagen, and Mercedes to name just a few. Our kits are made from fully backed Air release Oracal 7510RA which is a fluorescent yellow film that uses rapid air technology. The airflow technology enables the film to create miniscule air channels, allowing for an easy and bubble-free application. Our high-performance film also has an exterior life of 3 years, which is maintained with routine cleaning. Our kits come with ultrathin guidelines that can be covered with reflective pieces, which means there is no cleaning of pen marks once the chevron kit has been fitted to the vehicle. All kits are supplied with ten reflective losenges and if ordered before 12 noon, have 2-3 day delivery lead time. If you’re in need of high-quality chevron kits, feel free to enquire today.