Pedestrians, watch out! Reflective elements are mandatory from Saturday 20 February

The long-awaited obligation to wear reflective elements under reduced visibility will come into effect this Saturday, February 20. Under the amendment to the Road Traffic Act, pedestrians will have to wear reflective elements in poor visibility when moving outside the village along the side of the road or at the edge of the roadway in a place not lit by public lighting.

Reflective elements will be mandatory for pedestrians not only at night but also at dusk or fog. Pedestrians will not have to wear reflective vests, a high-quality retro-reflective material of strong color ( yellow, light green), which will be visible to other road users, will suffice.

The Department of Transport recommends pedestrians to use a reflective strap on their feet or hands towards the road. Ideally, such a tape should appear on both limbs. These tapes can be found in sporting goods stores or classic supermarkets, their price is around 30 crowns.

The test of sister magazine Svet motoru proved that even with this cheap solution pedestrian is much better to see than not illuminated. The Ministry of Transport adds that while a pedestrian in black clothes can see the driver in the dark only 18 meters, using a reflective tape ment can recognize it to 200 meters. As a result, the chauffeur has more time to react to and avoid pedestrians.

The solution is also significant reflective elements that are part of the clothing (or backpack, bags). On the other hand, a flashlight or other light source is not enough from valid legislation.

Pedestrians who do not wear reflective elements outside the village in the dark are threatened with a fine of up to CZK 2,000 in block proceedings, while in administrative proceedings they will pay CZK 1,500 to CZK 2,500. However, police will be forgiving in the coming weeks and will focus on education rather than sanctions. In cooperation with BESIP, they will distribute reflective tapes and bags to guilty pedestrians free of charge.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *