When it comes to choosing the right fleet graphics for emergency vehicles, visibility is everything. As a first responder or a fleet manager, you want to ensure that ambulances and other emergency vehicles are as visible as possible, especially at night.
Many emergency departments nationwide have shifted to reflective graphics for their vehicles. Reflective graphics allows for ease of detecting vehicles at dawn, dusk, and night.
The Importance of Reflective Graphics for Emergency Vehicles
Say a driver on the road doesn’t notice the ambulance that is rapidly approaching them, and not having enough time to slow down safely, the situation could result in a dramatic brake or a collision.
So how can we prevent that? It’s important to have at least some reflective vinyl on the emergency vehicle so that other motorists on the road can see the first responders. With reflective fleet graphics installed, accidents can be mitigated.
Types of Reflective Vinyl Wraps
When you are deciding on a reflective vinyl wrap for your vehicle, there are two main variations of 3M’s materials. You can choose a reflective vinyl wrap for your vehicle that is either made from glass bead films or prismatic films. With 3M you can be sure that you’re getting the best quality of reflective vinyl with extensive weather testing, non-prorated coverage, and a full system warranty.
Glass bead reflective vinyl includes a layer of densely scattered, spherical glass beads with a layer of metalized aluminum underneath. Glass beads are typically used for advertising wraps, decals, and general signage due to their ability to reflect a light that is less intense.
Prismatic reflective vinyl, on the other hand, is made from metalized microstructures that are set up to reflect the most optimal amount of light. Due to its higher light intensity, prismatic vinyl is often used for roadway signage and safety markings on emergency vehicles.
Factors to Consider When Choosing your Reflective Vinyl
If your brand is looking for vinyl that is more durable, reflective vinyl may be the right choice for you. When considering durability, reflective vinyl is typically three times thicker than traditional vinyl wraps. Because reflective graphics are multi-layered, they tend to be more expensive to reflect that durability.
Since glass bead vinyl reflects light at a wider angle, they are not as bright and are often used for close-up applications. After a certain distance, the reflection from the glass bead vinyl disappears. Prismatic vinyl has a more focused reflective light and therefore can travel at a much longer distance compared to glass bead vinyl.
While you will want to take the time to map out the areas that you need to display the highest degree of reflection, this process shouldn’t be more difficult than applying vinyl to any other type of vehicle. It might take slightly longer due to the size of the vehicle and fleet, but the ratio will stay the same.
Emergency vehicles must be visible to every possible degree when sharing the road with other motorists. That’s why it is crucial to make sure they have reflective graphics that are seen during the darkest parts of the day to keep you and everyone else as safe as possible.
When it comes to your brand and your fleet, quality is the most important consideration to us here at Signature. That’s why we focus on hand-selecting partners who operate under the same standard of excellence that we do. We proudly use 3M graphic films for our fleet graphics to ensure you’re getting the best quality and durability.
Signature Graphics’ team of experts and designers constantly provides unparalleled fleet graphics service for you and your brand. Contact us for your reflective graphics needs and request a quote to get started on your fleet today.
We proudly use 3MTM graphic films and overlaminates.