GB2265589A

GB2265589A - Vehicle sighting aid to help driver keep a safe distance from vehicle ahead

Info

Publication number: GB2265589A
Application number: GB9207115A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Brooks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-04-01
Filing date: 1992-04-01
Publication date: 1993-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-01
Also published as: GB9207115D0; GB2265589B

Abstract

The aid comprises a member 11 formed from a sheet of transparent plastics material which can be fixed to a vehicle's windscreen eg by a sucker 12. A scale 14 marked on the member 11 is graduated at selected driving speeds e.g. 70, 50, 30, 20 m.p.h. in descending order from the top of the aid. An eye level mark EL is provided so that the aid can be set at the driver's eye level. Alternatively, the scale 14 may be printed or etched on the windscreen. in use, the driver's aid can be used to determine a maximum speed at which the vehicle can safely travel behind a vehicle in front. The member 11 is rotatable and is provided with different scales e.g. 14 at its opposite ends so that the driver can select the correct scale for the driving conditions e.g. WET or DRY. <IMAGE>

Description

Driver's Aid This invention relates to an aid for drivers and particularly to an aid to help a driver keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

Many accidents are caused on roads by drivers driving their vehicles too close to other vehicles at speed. If one vehicle slows or stops suddenly, the vehicles behind it may not have enough distance between them to stop safely especially in wet or icy conditions.

Government bodies and motoring organisations recommend safe stopping distances for vehicles travelling at various speeds. The stopping distances for vehicles increases dramatically with increased speeds, and thus it is very difficult for a driver to judge a safe stopping distance.

Various aids have been proposed to assist drivers in determining a safe stopping distance. US 3,950,098 discloses one such device, in which a plurality of different sized rectangles are fixed to the back of a vehicle. If a driver travelling behind a vehicle fitted with one of these devices can see the rectangle representing 70 mph for example then he knows that he is travelling too close. However, the driver in the vehicle behind has to memorise which rectangle represents which speed, also it is difficult for him to tell from a distance which rectangle he can see. With such devices drivers have to rely on other drivers fitting the device to their vehicles for the system to be of any benefit.

We have now devised an aid for the drivers of vehicles which provides an easy and effective way for the driver to tell whether he is travelling too close to the vehicle in front.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a driver's aid for providing to the driver an indication concerning the distance between his vehicle and an object in front of his vehicle, said aid being arranged for mounting in front of the driver and comprising a plurality of vertically spaced marks forming a scale for alignment with said object to gauge said distance.

Preferably the marks forming said scale give an indication of the maximum speed at which said vehicle can travel so that it can stop within said distance. In particular, if the vehicle in front appears above the level of the mark corresponding to the driver's current actual speed, then he is travelling at a safe distance from the vehicle in front, but if the vehicle in front appears below that level, then the driver is travelling too close.

The scale is preferably marked with a plurality of typical driving speeds such as those of the national speed limits e.g. 30, 55, 70 mph.

The driver's aid may be printed or etched on the vehicles windscreen, but it preferably comprises a member having means for adhering it to the windscreen.

The driver's aid may consist of a sticker for adhering to the windscreen. In an alternative embodiment, it may comprise suckers for adhering the member to the windscreen.

Preferably the member is formed of a transparent plastics material on which said scale is provided.

Preferably a further mark is provided so that the aid can be set at the level of the driver's eyes.

The aid may comprise means for adjusting the position of the member after it has been adhered to the windscreen.

In a preferred embodiment a plurality of different scales may be provided for giving an indication of the stopping distances in different road conditions.

Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of examples only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a front view of a driver's aid in accordance with this invention; FIGURE 2 is a front view of the driver's aid of Figure 1 when fitted to the windscreen of a vehicle; FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a driver's aid; and FIGURE 4 is a side view of the driver's aid of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a driver's aid comprising a member 11 formed from a rectangular sheet of transparent plastics material. An eye level mark EL is marked on the member 11 adjacent its top and a graduated scale 14 is marked below this. The scale 14 is marked with selected driving speeds e.g. 90, 70, 55 and 30 mph, with the speeds marked in descending order from the top of the indicator. An elastomeric sucker 12 is fixed to centrally to the rear of the member 11 for mounting it to a windscreen of a vehicle. In wet road conditions, the stopping distance will change. The device shown in Figure 1 therefore has two scales, one at each end, for wet and dry conditions: Figure 1 shows the device in use for dry conditions, but for wet conditions the device is turned up the opposite way.

In use, referring to Figure 2, the speed indicator 10 is adhered to the inside of a vehicle's windscreen 20. The indicator 10 is positioned adjacent the right hand edge of the windscreen 20, with the eye level mark EL on a line directly in front of the driver's eyes. The positioning of the device will have to be adjusted to suit various heights of drivers.

The stopping distance which is required between the vehicle 22 in front can easily be determined in the following manner.

Firstly the driver determines his speed from the speedometer 24 e.g. 70 mph, then he looks at the speed indicator 10 to find the corresponding speed on the scale. By drawing an imaginary horizontal line 23 he can tell, from whether the vehicle 22 in front is above or below the line 23, whether he is travelling at a safe distance. If the vehicle 22 in front is too close, then the driver can slow down until the vehicle 22 appears above the imaginary line 23.

The above mentioned method can also be used in reverse to determine a safe distance by looking across from the vehicle 22 in front to the indicator 10, and then reading off the safe driving speed.

Figures 3 and 4 show an alternative form of driver's aid 30, which also has two different scales 37,38 for use in different road conditions. The device 30 comprises an elongate transparent plastics member 33 slidably mounted in a body 32.

An elastomeric wheel 35 mounted by a rotatable shaft to the body 35 holds the plastics member 33 to the body. Thumb wheels e.g. 34 are fixed to opposite ends of the shaft for rotating the wheel 35. An elastomeric sucker 31 is rotatably mounted to the rear of the body 35. The upper portion of the plastics member 33 is printed with an eye level mark EL and a speed indicator scale 38 for dry road conditions. The lower portion also has an eye level mark EL and a speed indicator scale 37 for wet conditions.

In use, the driver adheres the aid 30 to the windscreen in the above defined manner. However, a fine adjustment of the eye level mark EL can be made by rotating the wheel 34 to move the member 33 up or down. Thus it may not be necessary to reposition the aid each time a different person drives the vehicle. By rotating the member 33 through 180 the driver can select the correct scale for the driving conditions. Each time he does this he will have to reset the eye level mark EL.

Over a period of time using the driver's aid, a driver will learn to judge safe stopping distances without referring to the aid.

It will be appreciated that the aid shown in Figure 1 and 2 is for use with right-hand drive vehicles, but an alternative indicator may be provided which is suitable for left and/or right hand drive vehicles.

The scale 14 may be printed in black or a bold colour which can easily be seen by the driver. Illumination means may be provided for using the aid whilst driving at night.

Claims

1) A driver's aid for providing to the driver an indication concerning the distance between his vehicle and an object in front of his vehicle, said aid being arranged for mounting in front of the driver and comprising a plurality of vertically-spaced marks forming a scale for alignment with said object to gauge said distance.

2) A driver's aid as claimed in claim 1, in which the marks forming said scale give an indication of a maximum speed at which said vehicle can travel so that it can stop within said distance.

3) A driver's aid as claimed in claim 1 or 2, which is printed or etched on the vehicle's windscreen.

4) A driver's aid as claimed in claim 1 or 2, comprising a member having means for adhering it to the windscreen.

5) A driver's aid as claimed in claim 4, comprising suckers for adhering the member to the windscreen.

6) A driver's aid as claimed in claim 4 or 5, comprising means for adjusting the position of the member after it has been adhered to the windscreen.

7) A driver's aid as claimed in claim 4, consisting of a sticker for adhering to the windscreen.

8) A driver's aid as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7, in which the member comprises a transparent plastics material on which said scale is provided.

9) A driver's aid as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a further mark so that the aid can be set at the level of the driver's eye.

10) A driver's aid as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a plurality of scales for giving an indication of the stopping distances in different road conditions.

11) A driver's aid substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.