ROAD SAFETY

All Northcone's crash safe lighting poles comply with the SS-EN 12767 standard, which is the norm for crash safe poles. The standard is developed by the European standardization organization CEN and contains three different tasks;

1) Crash speed

2) Energy absorption category

3) Safety level for passengers.

Regarding crash speed, a crash test is carried out by a small car 900 kg with driver (one doll weighing 78 kg), crashing into a fully equipped pole (electric cables, luminaire) in 35 km/h and then at higher speed (50, 70, 100 km/h) depending on pole. A pole tested and qualified at 100 km/h can be used on roads regardless of speed. Poles tested and qualified at 70 km/h should not be used on roads with speeds above 70 km/h etc.

Regarding energy absorption, there are 3 qualification levels; HE (High-Energy), LE (Low-Energy) and NE (Non-Energy).

  • Crash level HE is characterized by the vehicle braking down in a controlled manner when colliding, while the post remains in its foundation. This provides high safety for everyone, both persons in the vehicle and pedestrians and cyclists sorrounding the pole. A HE classified pole is thus a guarantee for projectors and road holders, towards the road users, that the highest importance has been placed on the design of a safe traffic environment.
  • Crash level LE behaves like a HE pole, but with lower ability to slow down the car's energy and speed.
  • Crash level NE is a cheaper alternative for traffic environments with little risk of secondary accidents, such as country roads with large side areas without obstacles, and few unprotected road users. An NE pole absorbs no energy at all, but is instead resilient, in the sense that the post detaches from its foundation so that the car and the person traveling in it can continue straight ahead without being damaged by the post.

If you finally look at the injury risk class then this is a measure of how large the damage sequence on the driver (the doll) will be during the collision with the pole. In the evaluation, the terms ASI (Acceleration Severity Index = acceleration in X, Y, Z joints), THIV (Theoretical Head Impact = with which speed the driver's head continues in the direction of travel, a certain time after the car's impact in the post) and PHD (Post-Impact) deceleration) are measured. The injury risk level thus indicates the level of damage for passengers, where 3 is the best value, ie the lowest damage. Poles with the highest level 3 can be used on all roads, level 2 posts can be used on roads with requirement level 2 or lower.

Given the definitions above, a 100 HE3 classified pole means that it has been tested in 100 km/h, meets the requirements for HE (ie energy absorption) and at the same time holds the highest safety level for drivers and passengers, ie 3.

Northcone's lighting poles are today certified in both classes HE and NE. All posts are also CE marked and approved according to SS-EN 40 (standard for lighting poles).