In Germany, carrying a warning waistcoat is so far only compulsory in commercial vehicles and only recommended for individuals. So far, for the latest from 1 July next year must in any vehicles a protective safety vest is present such a decision of the Federal Council.
The new regulation concerns all cars registered in Germany, trucks and buses; Motorcycles are still excluded. In many European countries already, however, applies a high visibility vest duty on the Agency for Technical Surveillance (GTÜ) draws attention in Stuttgart. If not obeyed, threaten partially tangible fines.
Here there is a single European standard. The approved wests have the European control mark EN 471. According to the ADAC the obligation to have a reflective vest in the car and to contribute to an accident or breakdown is already in Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain and Hungary.
Penalties for infringement can be quite high in the individual countries. In Portugal motorists should expect a fine 120-600 Euro. Note: From one country to other part different rules on the number to accompany the West and their use apply. One should check before driving through the respective provisions therefore.
The reflective clothing is not harassment, but safety-related accessories, the experts reassure GTÜ. Who wears such a vest, is five times perceived earlier because of the luminous material, the security experts.
It is particularly in accident assistance, when setting up the warning triangle, when changing tires or on the way to without vest a significantly higher risk of being overlooked about in the dark