'Lane Lines That Used to Disappear When It Rained Are Now Clearly Visible... The Secret Is Paint'

Samhwa Paint Prepares for Commercialization of 'Irregular Protruding Lane Markings'
Uneven Surface Quickly Pushes Rainwater Aside
Glass Beads Stay Firm, Enhancing Light Reflection Performance

On rainy evenings, when driving, there are times when lane markings suddenly disappear. This phenomenon occurs because the lane markings, which need to reflect light, are submerged in rainwater and fail to reflect light. When lane markings suddenly become invisible, dangerous situations such as vehicles drifting into adjacent lanes or driving in the opposite direction can occur. To address the 'lane disappearance in rain' issue that can lead to major accidents, a paint company has stepped up. Samhwa Paint has developed and is preparing to commercialize the 'Irregular Protruding Lane Marking' technology.

A view of the lane captured from the driver's seat during nighttime and rainy conditions. (Photo by Samhwa Paint)

On the 11th, Samhwa Paint announced, "after three months of a pilot project for the irregular protruding lane markings, an on-site inspection showed minimal peeling and excellent lane visibility." Samhwa Paint participated in Seoul City's 'Road Surface Marking Pilot Project' in the second half of last year using their self-developed irregular protruding lane markings. This project evaluates the field applicability and economic feasibility of new products and technologies for road surface markings to ensure a safer traffic environment. The products applied in the pilot project will undergo a two-year quality evaluation and are planned to be introduced in Seoul City's aged pavement maintenance projects.

Samhwa Paint's irregular protruding lane markings are characterized by a bumpy three-dimensional shape. Generally, lane markings include glass beads that reflect vehicle headlights to ensure visibility at night and on rainy roads. However, if the lane markings are drawn thin and flat, the glass beads easily fall off. Also, poor drainage causes light reflection to significantly decrease even with a small amount of rain.

Samhwa Paint explained that the irregular protruding lane markings, being bumpy, quickly push rainwater to the sides of the lane markings, and the glass beads do not easily fall off, resulting in excellent light reflection performance. In actual performance tests, the brightness per square meter on dry pavement was 434 mcd (millicandela), and on wet pavement, it was 175 mcd. Considering that Seoul's lane markings typically measure 240 mcd when dry and 100 mcd when wet, this means they are much more visible.

To develop this lane marking, Samhwa conducted five years of research based on lane marking technology applied on the German Autobahn. On the Autobahn, where vehicles travel at speeds exceeding 200 km/h, more than 50% of the lane markings are irregular protruding lane markings.

On the 4th, drivers in Mapo-gu, Seoul, near Gongdeok Intersection, turned on their headlights as up to 150mm of heavy rain was forecast overnight in the central region. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

The market potential for the irregular protruding lane markings developed by Samhwa Paint is promising. Complaints that "lane markings are not visible in the rain" have been steadily increasing. According to data received by Song Seok-jun, a member of the People Power Party, from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 126 such complaints were filed nationwide in 2022, a 58% increase compared to the previous year. Up to August last year, 91 complaints had already been received.

A representative from Samhwa Paint explained, "The irregular protruding lane markings have a relatively long durability and are easy to maintain. These lane markings have strong durability and fine flexibility, minimizing cracks and glass bead loss caused by seasonal changes." They added, "They can be repainted without separate lane removal work, helping to reduce maintenance costs."