The safety of pedestrians on the road, especially outside built-up areas, depends on their good visibility.
For many years, policemen have reminded us of the importance of the role of reflective materials in increasing the visibility of pedestrians and cyclists. Good visibility is one of the most important safety factors in road traffic.
The principle of “seeing and being seen” should lead us to an adult pedestrian, but we should also talk about it to our children. The police during all safety meetings remind us how important it is to wear reflective vests. Currently, many clothing, schoolbags, backpacks and shoes for children already have pre-stitched reflective fabrics sewn in.
Reminder:
- During poor visibility, when the pedestrian is wearing gray-black clothes and does not have reflective elements on the outer garment, the driver notices it with a long delay.
- Remember that in the dark the pedestrian can see the headlights of the car even from a distance of a few kilometers, but the driver will notice it only when he notices the silhouette of a man within the range of the car’s lights.
- In the dark, without reflective elements, we are visible in the passing light at a distance of only 20-30 meters. If the driver is driving at 90km / h, he will travel to 25 meters of road in 1 second and there is no chance of any reaction when he notices a pedestrian in his path.
- However, if the pedestrian is equipped with a reflective element reflecting the light of the car, the driver will notice it already from a distance of 130 -150 meters, which are about 5-10 times faster! This can save a living life.
- The widespread use of reflective elements in various forms – hangers, bands, vests, bright umbrellas etc. – will make the pedestrian’s chance of avoiding the setback in poor visibility conditions even if it makes a mistake, eg it will move the wrong side of the road .
- Correctly worn reflectors should be placed in such a place that they are in the field of car light and are noticeable for drivers approaching from both directions (from the back and the front).
Warning:
Traffic law stipulates that a person moving along the road, after dusk, outside the built-up area, is obliged to use reflective vests in a manner visible to other road users.
You do not need to convince anyone to write it down, but you should wear “reflections”, even if the regulations do not require it, in other words, preferably during the whole autumn, winter and early spring, both during the day and after dark. Not only outside the built-up area, but everywhere we move. This custom should apply to all pedestrians regardless of age and applicable law.