Trucks at night: why good lighting is crucial
Truck lighting at night: More light, more safety.40-tonne night shift: where trucking gets really tough
Motorways, darkness and a fully loaded, 40-tonne truck: a combination that demands maximum levels of concentration, considering country roads, wildlife unexpectedly crossing the road, glare from oncoming vehicles or complex situations at depots are all challenges involved in seeing and being seen behind the wheel. Haulage contractor Jan-Hendrik Linnenkamp employs around 70 staff and regularly gets out on the road himself. His experiences demonstrate just how crucial adequate lighting is.
High speeds, heavy traffic, long journeys at night: at first glance, the motorway seems particularly challenging for truck drivers. However, Linnenkamp has a different opinion on this: “By comparison, motorways offer clear layouts, separate carriageways for each direction of travel and a largely steady flow of traffic. Country roads, roadworks, depots and busy service stations can be considerably more challenging."
Country roads require elevated levels of attention
It is particularly on country roads that many different factors come into play. Bends, oncoming traffic, woodlands and the possibility of wildlife crossing the road place different demands on drivers and their vehicles. This is precisely where lighting becomes even more significant.
Drivers must also always keep an eye on verges and adjacent areas. What initially appears to be nothing more than a moving object can turn into genuine danger within seconds. For Linnenkamp, it is consequently not just the headlamp range that matters, the width of the light cone is just as vital. If you can make out the areas to the left and right of the road in addition to the actual carriageway, you will be quicker to spot something moving at the roadside.
Linnenkamp himself recalls an encounter with roe deer. “The creature suddenly appeared, ran across the road from a field and disappeared into the woods on the other side,” the businessman and truck driver recounts. "There wasn’t much time to react. Fortunately, there were no serious consequences."
Situations like these highlight what good vehicle lighting ultimately boils down to: identifying risks as early as possible. After all, it is particularly in dark conditions that a brief window of opportunity often determines how much time there is to react.
Roadworks require precise and even illumination
Wide-angle illumination for long-haul drivers also improves safety along motorway roadworks. This is where the otherwise clear layout of a motorway changes. Lanes become narrower and road markings may be difficult to see. Bumps in the road and changes in the course of the carriageway require extra attention. Rain or changing road markings paired with dark conditions may make things even trickier to handle.
According to Linnenkamp, good lighting can help drivers keep an eye on the course of the road, identify road markings and obstacles more quickly and safely control the truck in situations with restricted space along the carriageway. Whether on country roads or in roadworks: ultimately, what matters is how early the driver can interpret a situation.
Good lighting provides one thing above all else: time
The sooner a situation is interpreted, the greater the safety margin. This is particularly crucial in the case of a 40-tonne truck, as these vehicles are unable to brake nearly as quickly as cars.
The sooner a situation is interpreted, the greater the safety margin. Visibility, speed and stopping distance are directly linked. At as little as 80 km/h, a vehicle travels a good 22 metres in a single second before any triggered reaction actually results in braking. As speed increases, the time it takes to respond increases accordingly. In comparable conditions, the actual braking distance even increases disproportionately and approximately grows proportional to the square of the speed. Consequently, twice the speed therefore does not mean double the braking distance, but approximately four times the braking distance. In practice, road conditions, tyres, the brake system and the vehicle's load also affect the stopping distance. In terms of lighting, there is a clear correlation: the usable visual range must be ample enough to make sure that a hazard is not only identified once a significant portion of the available distance has already been covered after the response time. That is why, particularly at night, every extra metre of visibility can buy valuable response time.
From Linnenkamp’s experience, the technical situation has improved significantly in recent years: “The transition from halogen to xenon to LED, in particular, has made a major contribution. This has really made a difference.” According to Linnenkamp, lighting in contemporary trucks is now exceptionally good, not least thanks to large headlamps and lighting technology tailored to commercial vehicles. Contemporary LED systems provide a more even illumination of the road and can make the area ahead of the vehicle much more visible than halogen headlamps used to.
How do high beam and auxiliary lamps improve safety at night?
High-performance truck lighting provides a vital safety margin at night. The better the carriageway, verges and the surrounding area are illuminated, the sooner obstacles, changes in the course of the road or moving objects can be spotted. High beam increases the effective range of visibility and provides significantly better orientation, particularly on dark country roads. Contemporary automatic high beam systems can further make things easier for drivers by automatically controlling the high beam depending on the traffic situation. As a result, the maximum amount of usable light is available, without the driver having to constantly switch manually between low and high beam. This makes the ride more comfortable and helps drivers focus on the road ahead.
Walking pace also requires good visibility
In addition to standard headlamps, auxiliary lamps and work lamps can also play an important role. After all, good levels of visibility are crucial, and not just at higher speeds. Even when travelling at walking pace, a lack of visibility can quickly become a problem. Depots, loading bays and parking areas therefore place very specific demands on drivers and lighting.
Trucks are long, wide and have large blind spots. When manoeuvring, the position of the semi-trailer relative to the towing vehicle also changes. Obstacles, parked vehicles or poorly lit areas must therefore be assessed very carefully.
This is precisely where it becomes clear that vehicle lighting must do more than simply illuminate the road ahead of the truck. When manoeuvring, the sides, the rear of the vehicle and the immediate surroundings become the operating area. Work lamps and auxiliary lamps can therefore play a vital role in helping drivers find their way. HELLA's contemporary lighting solutions demonstrate just how crucial even and targeted light distribution can be. More usable light means better visibility, better visibility gives you the chance to spot objects sooner, resulting in more time to respond safely. This additional safety margin is particularly valuable when it comes to heavy commercial vehicles.
A truck’s position lamps are also particularly important. Side lamps and markings at the rear of the vehicle help drivers gauge its actual dimensions, even in the dark.
Adequate lighting creates a scope for action
The interview with Jan-Hendrik Linnenkamp underlines that driving a truck at night involves more than just a single hazard. On country roads, adequate visibility determines how early you can spot wildlife crossing the road and other hazards. At roadworks, the course of the carriageway and road markings must remain clearly visible. In depots, on the other hand, the aim is to be able to assess the immediate surroundings of a vehicle weighing up to 40 tonnes as much as possible. In this process, high beam, contemporary LED headlamps, work lamps, position lamps and, for specialised applications, auxiliary lamps all fulfil different functions. Together, they can help to identify hazards at an earlier stage and improve visibility around the vehicle.
For Linnenkamp, the time factor remains crucial. The sooner a driver realises what is happening in front of, to the side of or behind their vehicle, the more options they have for taking action. Good lighting does not cut braking distances and it's no substitute for experience or vigilance. However, it can ensure that the driver is able to react sooner and thus gain just those few metres that might be decisive in a critical situation. That is where the true value of contemporary truck lighting lies: it doesn't turn night into day, but it provides visibility, helps with navigation and gives users that crucial head start.
© Photos: Moritz Nolte