German transport politicians dream like zero fatalities. For this purpose they have to decide but also unpopular things. For example, a duty-high visibility vest for pedestrians in the winter as implemented in the Nordic countries.
Stuttgart – The number of deaths is expected to rise in Germany this year for the second time in a row again – after a long period of decline. Experts expect about 3450 victims, 2014 were 3377. Almost 16 percent of traffic fatalities last year were pedestrians, more than a third of the 523 killed in traffic pedestrian died in the months of November to January. This figure could be halved, if you believe the studies that come from Nordic countries. Where it is dark in the winter especially long, are reflectors on clothes for pedestrian’s duty.
One reader, in Finland grew, told our newspaper, as the runs there: “Every year, in the fall of the great memories – Radio, TV, newspapers, everywhere, Embark visible – forget the reflectors not ‘!.” Even a child never let out the children without reflectors her grandmother. “She did well to us that they as adults during the day has its reflector in his coat pocket and in the evening reshot on tape, so that the hanging at knee level, because the amount the cars have their lights.”
Even a small plastic piece that reflects the light of the cars would help. According to Finnish studies, a motorist at night a passerby with reflector detect already 150 meters before. Without reflector is only 40 meters.
Prescribing want you in this country nothing
In Finland reflectors since 2003 duty in Germany, they have so far not been successful at pedestrians. School starters wear perhaps reflective safety vest and luminous satchel. Most adults, however, are without reflectors on the road – in winter also often even in dark clothes.
That it would be different better, one acknowledges the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport. “It would have a positive road safety effect if all would move only dressed with reflective and light-colored clothes in public places at night always”, it says. But not everything Am working was also appropriate.
France has a high visibility vests mandatory for cyclists
In plain language, Hereby introduce a mandatory reflectors as in Finland or excite at the federal level, we do not think the Stuttgart Department of Transportation. “We inform people about the safety by bright or reflective clothing,” said a spokesman. “People can then decide for themselves how they want to behave.”
Also in terms of the visibility of cyclists, are employed in this country to inspect and voluntary. Focus of awareness campaigns is the lighting on the bicycle. The General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) shows students for example by means of a dark tunnel, how bad cyclists are seen without reflectors and lighting.
In other countries there is stricter for cyclists partly. Under French law, for example, since October 2008, for cyclists a reflective vest mandatory outside built – at night and in poor visibility. On posters, he was photographed in a yellow safety vest with the slogan: “It’s yellow, it’s ugly, and it matches nothing. But it can save your life. “