An award-winning UK-based company is to begin offering rear hazard signs specifically for classic military vehicle owners.
Dawes Highway Safety Ltd have begun to manufacture signs that clearly and politely remind fellow road users of the hazardous nature of vintage military vehicles. They increase the visible footprint of parked or moving camouflaged vehicles and reduce the chance of road collisions.
Speaking to Classic Military Vehicle, Managing Director James Dawes commented on the creation of Dawes Highway Safety in 2014: “I was a former police officer managing a team tasked with investigating road incidents. It was during my time there that I formed ideas about how to help prevent needless collisions.
“When I left the police, I set up Dawes Highway Safety Ltd, creating innovative products to maximise the safety of road users. We began with selling impact-tested signage for the side-guard rails of heavy goods vehicles – which became known as PeoplePanels®. As of 2023, our products are well known across the commercial vehicle world, with our ‘side panels’ now featuring on the majority of commercial construction and HGV vehicles in the United Kingdom.”
James explained: “My fascination for classic military vehicles began young. I have owned several German World War Two-era vehicles, still have a 1939 BMW R35 and am also the proud owner of a Gaz-69 Light Truck with original trailer and 120mm towed mortar.”
For this reason, he is well acquainted with the regular issues faced by the military vehicle community as they journey on public highways.
“Most classic military vehicles are not only camouflaged, reducing their visibility on roads, but often suffer from reduced lights, outdated clutch and braking systems and are often not as fast as modern vehicles on the road,” said James. “This can result in increased road risk and greater severity of collisions.”
This year Dawes Highway Safety began trialling their warning and hazard signs on smaller military vehicles to reduce danger and study how other road users’ behaviour can be positively affected.
Being fixed to the rear of vehicles via bungees, the warning signs are made of heavy-duty aluminium composite board with rubberised edges then laminated and sealed so they are also watertight.
Polite messages remind other road users of the danger presented including ‘Thank you for your patience’ and a reflective side stating ‘Alert! Vehicle Stopped. Give Space’.
“We immediately found that the signs were effective at reminding fellow road users to be cautious around military vehicles while in transit,” said James. “The behaviour of other drivers in the vicinity of our trialled vehicles transformed enormously – people don’t honk or travel as closely anymore, they also give sufficient waiting distances and don’t try to overtake in an erratic manner”.
Easy to fit on any vintage vehicle, Dawes Highway Safety products are on special offer for any reader of Classic Military Vehicle with 20% off RRP.
To buy the product or to get in touch, email sales@daweshighway.com or call 01264 332414.
