Frequently Asked Questions



Q: What is the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System?
A: The TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System is a visual boundary marking system used to outline the edges of public access areas, such as cycling paths and walking trails, so that they may be safely used at night and in low-light conditions. The system uses a matrix of fitted TraxEye™ Marker Studs. Each stud emits a warm green glow that is easily seen in the dark The TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System is a low-cost alternative to expensive electrical lighting and ineffective reflectors habitually used in those areas.

Q: What exactly is a TraxEye™ Marker Stud?
A: The TraxEye™ Marker Stud is the heart of the TraxEyeTM Safety Illumination System. It is comprised of a photo-luminescent resin disc set into a 5cm x 1/2cm heavy-duty clear plastic shell which acts as a protective barrier against the elements. A small steel anchoring pin, used to mount the TraxEye™ Marker Stud, is included with each unit. The head of the anchoring pin is enclosed in a large plastic safety cap which protects the TraxEye™ Marker Stud during installation and serves as a location marker in case the rest of the unit is destroyed or removed.

Q: What makes the TraxEye™ Marker Stud glow?
A: Its resin disc is embedded with proprietary GS2000 light-emitting crystals. GS2000 is a photo luminescent compound capable of glowing brightly all night after being exposed to only 8 minutes of natural daylight.

Q: Is GS2000 safe and environmentally friendly?
A: Absolutely. GS2000 is a non-toxic, non-radioactive compound. We have made sure that GS2000 rigidly conforms to all relevant safety requirements. There are no harmful chemicals whatsoever contained within the GS2000 crystals. In fact, GS2000 is so harmless that it has been approved for use in children’s toys. And despite their warm green glow, GS2000 crystals neither emit nor have ever been exposed to radiation of any kind. In the early years of glow-in-the-dark technology, products were coated with a low-level radioactive compound known as Radium. Like all radioactive compounds, Radium was eventually proven to be harmful to humans. In contrast, GS2000 is completely safe to handle and poses no threat to people or the environment. These factors alone make the TraxEyeT™Safety Illumination System both literally and figuratively the most popular "green" illumination solution on the market today.

Q: Do TraxEye™ Marker Studs really glow all night long?
A: Yes. Field testing has shown that pedestrians and cyclists perceived the TraxEye™ Marker Studs to be glowing strongly after 12 hours in low-light conditions. The TraxEyeTM Marker Studs had stored enough energy during their exposure to normal daylight to emit an easily perceived glow that lasted throughout the night. In actuality, extensive lab testing has proven that only an 8 minute exposure to normal daylight is required to achieve this high level of performance. Therefore, any path or public area lined with the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System will be clearly delineated during these hours of darkness and can be safely used as long as the TraxEyeTM Marker Studs are not removed or obstructed by debris.

Q: How is the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System better than conventional exterior electric lighting?
A: Conventional exterior electric lights provide enough illumination, but rising fuel costs mean that they are becoming an unviable solution. The TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System uses its own self-contained and environmentally-friendly energy source. Therefore, it has no effect on monthly or annual operating budgets in regard to energy consumption.

Q: How is the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System better than “Cat’s Eyes” reflectors?
A: Reflector-based systems are relatively cheap to install, but a reflector simply bounces back the light that is aimed at it. When there is no light, or not enough light aimed directly at the reflector, then there is little or no reflection - rendering the reflector useless. If there is a light source present which is bright enough to light up the reflector, then the light source is also bright enough to see by, so you really don't need a reflector - which also renders the reflector useless. The concept of a reflector used in an area where light is absent and is only occasionally brought in by a pedestrian or cyclist is fundamentally flawed, making it a poor choice for that particular environment. The TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System uses its own self-contained and environmentally-friendly energy source to illuminate pathway boundaries.

Q: How is the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System better than solar-powered lights?
A: Solar-powered lights provide ample illumination, but their energy sources are usually expensive NiCad batteries, recharged by solar energy. Typically, solar-powered lights are much more expensive than TraxEye™ Marker Studs, and sooner, rather than later, their NiCad batteries begin to lose their ability to store enough energy to power the unit all night long. In fact, the average service life of a solar-powered light is nowhere near that of a TraxEyeTM Marker Stud, which is guaranteed to glow for 5 years, but is actually expected to last 14 years or longer.

Q: How long do TraxEye™ Marker Studs usually last before they must be replaced?
A: The TraxEye™ Marker Studs were designed with long-term outdoor use in mind. Consequently, they should have a very long and useful service life. Apart from replacement of vandalized units, the only other expected maintenance is an occasional wipe to clear away fallen leaves and debris that may cover the unit. The TraxEyeTM Marker Studs are guaranteed to glow for 5 years. In practice, however, the GS2000 photo luminescent crystals embedded in the unit are capable of glowing for as long as 14 years with minimal degradation in luminance.

Q: How will I save money by using the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System?
A: As the cost of electricity and other forms of energy soars ever higher, so does the popularity of the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System as an alternative to them. This popularity is driven by the system's low price and versatility. If that same distance were lit by electrical lighting, the cost of hardware installation alone would be much greater with a constant drain on fiscal resources. In addition, the combined cost of maintenance and energy consumption would exceed the total cost of the entire TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System each month!

The TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System uses its own self-contained energy source and does not rely on electricity or other forms of energy to operate. Therefore, it has no effect on monthly or annual operating budgets in regard to energy consumption.

Q: How easy is it to install the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System?
A: Very easy. In most cases, all that is required is a nylon or rubber mallet along with each TraxEye™ Marker Stud’s anchoring pin. A strong exterior epoxy should be applied to the base of each TraxEye™ Marker Stud prior to anchoring, regardless of the surface type. Mastic is highly recommended. The adhesive will minimize dislocation or removal of the TraxEye™ Marker Stud due to vandalism, exposure to the elements, or the accelerated wear normally associated with high-traffic public areas, whether indoors or outdoors.

Q: Do TraxEye™ Marker Studs have any placement or spacing requirements?
A: Yes. For optimal effectiveness, the TraxEye™ Marker Studs should be placed on all sides of the area to be illuminated, if possible. There should be no more than five (5) meters between each stud. In the case of a cycling path or walking trail, for instance, TraxEye™ Marker Studs are generally installed in pairs with a single marker stud being placed on each side of the pathway. Each such pairing of TraxEye™ Marker Studs is referred to as an illumination point. As the installation of illumination points proceeds along the path, care should be taken to follow the "Five Meter Rule" in order to maintain the effectiveness of the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System at night and in low-light conditions. In a typical pathway installation, four hundred (400) TraxEye™ Marker Studs are needed per kilometer; 200 units per side.

Q: Is there a maximum number of TraxEye™ Marker Studs that should be used?
A: No. The TraxEyeTM Safety Illumination System is an "open-ended" product. There is no limit to the number of TraxEye™ Marker Studs that can be used to illuminate a public area. Five meters is the maximum distance recommended between each TraxEye™ Marker Stud in order to maintain the system's effectiveness at night and in low-light conditions. Obviously, there can be less distance which will require more studs for any given length of pathway.

As its name suggests, the main objective of the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System is safety. Therefore, the goal is to space the TraxEyeTM Marker Studs close enough together to give pedestrians and cyclists enough visual input to use the public area safely at night and in low-light conditions. But regardless of how the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System is configured, simply having one in place is a step in the right direction.

Q: On what surface types can the TraxEye™ Marker Studs be installed?
A: The most common surface types for installing the TraxEye™ Marker Studs are tarmac, wood, brick, concrete, mud, sand, and gravel. The application possibilities are versatile enough to permit installation of the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System in any interior or exterior environment.

Q: Are there any special considerations for installation on brick or concrete?
A: Yes. To prevent damage to the anchoring pin and the TraxEye™ Marker Stud during installation on hard surfaces such as brick or concrete, a 3mm pilot hole should be drilled into the mounting surface beforehand. This is quickly and easily accomplished using an ordinary electric hammer-drill and masonry bit.

Q: Are there any special considerations for installation on mud, sand or gravel?
A: Yes. Mud, sand, and gravel are unsuitable surfaces on which to mount a TraxEye™ Marker Stud directly. In order to use the TraxEye™ Safety Illumination System on these surfaces, stakes or fixing posts should first be installed. Then, install the TraxEyeTM Marker Stud to the stake or fixing post.

Q: What if a TraxEye™ Marker Stud is covered by snow, leaves or dirt?
A: A TraxEye™ Marker Stud will continue to glow even when covered by precipitation (snow, standing rain water, etc…) and/or debris such as leaves and dirt. However, once the unit has discharged, it will not recharge until the obstruction is removed and the unit is exposed to natural daylight. To minimize maintenance, each unit is designed with a calculated slope to allow for leaves and general debris to be blown away with the wind and washed away by rain. Still, care should be taken to install the TraxEye™ Marker Studs in locations where they are not easily obstructed.