RoadLites brings Euro safety technology to US
The founder and CEO of refrigerated trucking company Angie’s Transportation now is in the commercial vehicle lighting business, too.
Angie Twardawa, whose operation Refrigerated Transporter spotlighted two years ago, started RoadLites with dad Andrew Twardawa and brother Rafael Twardawa in 2022 as a way to bring European lighting and safety technology to the U.S. after a trip to Poland to visit family.
“We noticed different safety and lighting features on trucks and trailers in Europe and we knew we needed something like that on our own fleet,” Angie told Refrigerated Transporter. “Then we thought, ‘Why stop at just our fleet?’ So, we went on a mission to find and develop a solution to improve visibility, reduce accidents, and protect drivers and trucking companies—and make drivers’ lives easier.”
RoadLites, based in St. Louis, Missouri, partnered with Horpol, a leading European automotive lighting manufacturer, to develop a range of “high-performance” safety lighting products for the U.S., including marker lights, liftgate lights, and reverse motion sensor lights for 53-ft. trailers and other vehicles, including work trucks, emergency vehicles, and agricultural equipment. “The collaboration enabled us to integrate our ideas and American technology with their lighting products, setting new standards for safety and reliability in the U.S. market,” Angie said. “We began testing on our fleet and other local St. Louis fleets and also began working with the DOT and NHTSA. We debuted them at American Trucking Associations and Truckload Carriers Association conferences and received positive feedback.
“Our journey has just begun.”
See also: Twardawa leads Angie’s to new heights
RoadLites lights not only help protect drivers and the motoring public, they also help shippers and receivers protect dock doors, Angie maintained.
“One large retailer reportedly spends over $30 million a year on dock-door repairs,” she said. “These lights add visibility for drivers when they are reversing, backing into dock doors or parking spots, and changing lanes. They can see the light in their side mirrors. It’s a simple solution for a complicated industry—because most trailers don’t have reverse cameras.
“This means fewer incidents at truck stops and distribution centers and better broker/customer relationships, with fewer delays and disputes over damages.”
