Vehicle Collision Avoidance at Hairpin Curves Using Ultrasonic Sensor

Abstract

Road accidents at hairpin bends are a significant safety concern, especially in mountainous regions where visibility is limited. Traditional safety measures, such as convex mirrors, are ineffective at night and in adverse weather conditions, increasing the risk of collisions. To address this issue, the \"Collision Avoidance System for HairpinBendsUsingUltrasonicSensors\" hasbeendeveloped toenhanceroadsafetybyprovidingreal-timealerts todrivers approaching sharp curves. The proposed system integrates ultrasonic sensors, a Node MCU micro controllers, and LED indicators to detect and warn drivers about oncoming vehicles. The ultrasonic sensors are strategicallyplacedatthe curvetomonitorvehicularmovementwithina10-meterrange. Upon detecting an approaching vehicle, the system activatesa red LED signal to alert drivers of potential oncomingtraffic.Conversely, a greenLEDsignalindicatesa clearpath, allowing vehicles to proceed safely. Furthermore, the system incorporates an automatic accident detection mechanism. In theevent ofacollision,thesystemimmediatelytransmitsalert messagestoemergencyservices,ensuring a rapid response to minimize casualties and damage. By leveraging IOT technology, the system ensures real-time monitoring and enhances situational awareness for drivers navigating hairpin bends. This solution offers a cost-effective, energy-efficient, and highly reliable alternative to conventional safety measures. It significantly improves road safety by reducing blind-spot accidents and enabling proactive collision avoidance in challenging terrains. With its simple implementation and scalability, the system can be deployed across various high-risk roadways to enhance driver awareness and reduce accident rates effectively

Introduction

Road accidents are increasing due to rising vehicle use, negligence, traffic violations, and poor road conditions, with curved roads—especially hairpin bends on hilly terrains—being particularly dangerous. Traditional safety measures like vehicle horns, headlights, and convex mirrors have limitations, especially in low visibility conditions.

The proposed system uses ultrasonic sensors connected to a NodeMCU microcontroller to detect oncoming vehicles within a 10-meter range on blind curves. It signals drivers with red or green LEDs to indicate when to stop or proceed safely. In case of an accident, a tilt sensor triggers alerts sent to emergency responders. This system offers a real-time, cost-effective collision avoidance solution designed to improve driver awareness and reduce accidents on sharp bends.

Key hardware includes the NodeMCU-ESP8266 microcontroller, HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensors, LEDs, tilt sensors, and buzzers. The software involves Arduino IDE for programming and the Blynk IoT platform for remote monitoring and notifications. Real-world tests demonstrated effective vehicle detection, traffic signaling, and accident alerting.

Conclusion

The Collision Avoidance System for Hairpin Bends Using Ultrasonic Sensors was developedtoaddressthecriticalsafetychallengesposedbysharproadcurves,wherevisibility is significantly limited. In such locations, drivers often struggle to anticipate oncoming vehicles, leading to a higher risk of accidents. Traditional safety measures, such as convex mirrors and signboards, while useful, frequently fail to provide sufficient real-time alerts, particularly during nighttime or adverse weather conditions like heavy fog and rain. These limitationsnecessitatedthedevelopmentofamoreadvancedandresponsivesafetymechanism to mitigate the risks associated with blind curves and hairpin bends.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 K. Murugan, S. Sultana Farveen, R. Saraswathy, J. Hemamalini. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.