Mandatory wearing of reflective elements?

Two hundred and a half thousand crowns may become more expensive for pedestrians in the evening on the road. If they do not have reflective elements outside the village in poor visibility, they risk a fine. The amendment seeks to reduce the number of people with cars.

Reflective clothing, belts, and bags were distributed yesterday by police officers in several places in Brno. Pedestrians and cyclists have been instructed to change the law to protect pedestrians on the road. Police will continue in preventive actions throughout the region. lupa-plus click to enlarge.

Reflective clothing, belts, and bags were distributed yesterday by police officers in several places in Brno. Pedestrians and cyclists have been instructed to change the law to protect pedestrians on the road. Police will continue in preventive actions throughout the region.

The police will focus on prevention rather than penalizing pedestrians in the first weeks of the amendment to the Road Traffic Act. “We are planning dozens of events in the region where we want to inform pedestrians about a new duty and give them items in a reflective design,” said police spokesman Pavel Svab.

The first reflective tapes, bags, and vests were distributed by police in Brno on Thursday. They stopped and informed about thirty people. “Few of them knew about the change of the law,” Swab noted. At the same time, he recommended wearing well-visible clothing accessories not only outside the towns but also in them.

Also in schools

The police action was also appreciated by Dagmar Šebelová, who received a reflective tape. “When a man in black goes on gray asphalt, he is hardly visible in the evening,” she said.

Not only police officers but also schools distribute information about the amendment in South Moravia. For example, in elementary school in Židlochovice in Brno, teachers are explaining new duties to pupils these days. “Many parents have not registered the change of the law at all,” said the director Jana Králová. She added that they had acquired visible elements for school events that would lend to pupils.

that changes the amendment to the pedestrian law

Pedestrians must wear reflective elements outside the village when walking on the shoulder or roadside in poor visibility

If they fail to comply with the law, they face a fine of up to two thousand crowns on the spot or a fine of fifteen hundred to two and a half thousand crowns in administrative proceedings

A pedestrian does not need to wear a reflective vest, it is enough to use accessories such as straps on the arm or reflective strips on clothes

The amendment to the Road Traffic Act came into effect on Saturday

The amendment requires pedestrians to use reflective elements when walking on the shoulder or the edge of a road outside the village. According to Besip, the visibility of the reflective material at night is two hundred meters, while a man wearing a blue suit is seen at approximately one-tenth of the distance. At a speed of ninety kilometers per hour, the braking distance of the car is about forty meters. “We welcome the fact that wearing reflective elements has become an obligation,” said Besip regional coordinator Pavel Cizek.

However, he said the amendment to the law is untouched. When a car collides with a pedestrian without reflective elements, it is the driver who is to blame for not adapting the speed to the road conditions. The insufficiently visible person at risk of a collision risks only a fine. “In practice, this means that I can never drive on the 90s on the county roads at night because I have to count on someone unlit on them,” Cizek said.

Tighter neighbors

An even stricter law has been in force in Slovakia since 2014. Pedestrians must wear reflective elements on the road regardless of whether they are in or outside the village. “In the beginning, people complained, but now they have no problem with it,” said Cizek.

Efforts to make pedestrians safer have so far been felt by some merchants. “Reflective elements are sold about twice as much as before,” said Yveta Eiselt, a shop assistant from the Brno workwear shop.

On the contrary, Miroslav Šalanda from the haberdashery of Znojmo did not know any change. “The sale has not gone up so far. More interest will always start in the autumn when the days are shorter,” said Šalanda.

Last year, police in the South Moravian Region recorded four hundred and thirteen pedestrian-car crashes. “Two hundred and twenty-eight of these happened in Brno,” Swab said.

Over forty percent of pedestrian-car collisions took place at pedestrian crossings. Collisions of cars with pedestrians are increasing every year.

The 7 commandments for running at night

We choose a known course. In the dark, there is no question of leaving room for the unknown. So we choose a circuit that we are used to and that is safe. Especially since at night, it will look completely different from your daytime runs. We avoid venturing on new paths which we do not know the frequentation and where we could get lost. There will be plenty of time to explore during the day during the long weekend outing.

We make sure to be visible. It is important to wear clothing with reflective strips to be visible to motorists, bikers, and cyclists who may cross our path. Clear colors, even fluorescent, and reflective bands everywhere (leggings, jacket, gloves, hat …) will be your best allies in the dark. A yellow safety vest can also help gain visibility.

We equip ourselves with a headlamp. To know where you set foot and be even more visible at night, a small lamp with an elastic band to put around your head to watch where you are going is more than useful. We will choose if possible with a light power of 200 lumens minimum to be able to pass everywhere, even in the night without fear of tripping on a root or hurting my ankle because of a hole.

We multiply the layers to be warm but not too much. Difficult in winter to choose the right equipment to be warm enough without sweating more than reason. First reflex: protect the extremities. We put on gloves (not too thick but if possible windproof) and a thin cap but in micro-fleece. Then the rule is to multiply thin layers. First, a long-sleeved T-shirt that wicks away breathing, then a waterproof but breathable windbreaker to protect yourself from the elements. The leggings will be a little thicker than the one used in spring. It is best to be a little cold at first but to be comfortable once the body has warmed up by running. If it is really cold (below 0 degrees), we will opt for leggings lined with micro-fleece and a third thin layer between the T-shirt and the windbreaker. On the other hand, we forget the down jacket which is not breathable enough.

We continue to stay hydrated. In the cold, the feeling of thirst is less present, but that is not why we sweat less and that we must drink less. To avoid swallowing too cold water, you opt for a water bag with a pipette that you will carry on your back. Body heat should warm the liquid a little. And we try to keep the rule of half a liter of water drunk per hour of racing. If necessary, you put an alert to take a sip every 10 minutes on your watch or phone.

We warm-up before running. The cold can increase the risk of muscle breakdown. The warm-up stage is more crucial than ever. But beware: we forget about passive stretching before running (more harmful than useful) and we opt for dynamic warm-ups based on small jumps. We start to trot by gradually accelerating then we do a few ranges over a few tens of meters each time, to repeat two or three times (knee rise, buttocks heels, legs stretched, not chased, running backward). We finish with two or three progressive accelerations over 100 meters to increase the cardio. After that, your jogging can start safely.

Opt for shoes suitable for winter. If you run on sometimes muddy trails or paths with many puddles, it may be useful to wear shoes with a Gore-Tex membrane or equivalent. This prevents water from entering the shoe while retaining sufficient breathability.

“Police” vests – bigger problems than you might think

The motorcyclist should visually emphasize his presence on the road, preferably with reflective material elements – there is no doubt here. They usually appear when drivers choose quite controversial designs, which are associated with the uniforms of state services, such as very popular vests with the inscription “Poland”.

Although the inscription “Poland” itself is not controversial in any way, everyone driving behind, before they can read it, automatically slows down. Large numbers of Polish motorcyclists are happy to use it, although there were cases when the police officers had a serious problem with it during the inspection. Anyway – our resemblance to officers does not end with these innocent yellow safety vests. There sometimes appears the inscription Police, referring to the city near Szczecin. There are also blue reflective stripes attached to the sides of the vehicles. This is an evident stop.

In any case, dressing up in this way usually ends with an instruction. A completely different situation has recently taken place in Great Britain. 47-year-old Darren Emanuel, a respected financial advisor, rode his BMW R1200RT wearing a white helmet and a vest with the inscription Polite (polite) and a characteristic checkerboard pattern. What’s more, his motorcycle also came from a police demobilization – so we have a ready set that heralds trouble.

The motorcyclist was stopped by a passing police patrol and strongly advised of the impropriety of his actions, and then released. Darren, convinced of the legality of his outfit, decided to complain to the police station. At that moment a real avalanche started.

He was officially accused of attempted fraud and the case went to court. The insurance company found out about everything and canceled his motorcycle policy. The court admitted that Darren did not want to cheat anyone, but the case was conditionally discontinued and ordered the motorcyclist to pay court costs, in the amount of over PLN 3,000. The worst, however, is that because of the accusation, his contract at work was not extended, and when the owner of his rented apartment learned about everything, he also lost his roof.

So as you can see, it’s worth taking care of your safety, but more thoughtfully.

Make helmets and bright reflective attire a must for food delivery riders

I have observed that many food delivery riders do not wear helmets, whether they are on a bicycle or an e-bike.

There could be many factors that deter them from wearing such safety equipment – our hot climate, or perhaps because helmets are not provided by food delivery companies.

Whatever the reason, these riders face long hours on the road, day and night, rain or shine. Singaporeans get food delivered to their doorsteps, but it should not be at the risk of riders’ lives.

My suggestion would be that all food delivery companies mandate the wearing of helmets and bright safety vests, or have reflective strips incorporated into the company attire for greater visibility. Errant riders can be given demerit points.

These companies must take the lead in creating a safety culture among their riders, and take an interest in protecting their lives and livelihoods by providing this safety equipment for free.

We cannot eradicate accidents but we can certainly reduce them with mitigating actions.

In particular, pedestrians and cyclists risk death because they are not visible

The early arrival of darkness combined with drizzle, rain or even fog is not a very pleasant experience behind the wheel. Also, an unlit pedestrian or cyclist in a place where it cannot be expected is suddenly turned into real trouble. Many pedestrians risk their lives only for convenience.

There are serious road accidents every day on the roads. Many of them are caused by poor visibility. In low visibility, they are the most vulnerable pedestrians. Drivers who hurt pedestrians or cyclists agree that they have not seen him at all or too late. Cars and motorcycles, as well as cyclists, must shine, pedestrians are not required to do so. For greater safety, pedestrians should use primarily reflective materials, which make them visible well in advance and others can respond to them in time.

Abroad, reflective elements have saved many lives

Foreign experience shows that reflective elements can reduce pedestrian participation in a fatal accident by up to ten times in poor visibility. In other words, 10% of pedestrians would have a chance to survive, and this percentage is even higher for cyclists – up to 30% of cyclists could live if they were sufficiently visible. That is why pedestrians and cyclists must use reflective vests or other reflective elements that increase road safety.

A series of tests have shown that if a person wearing dark, such as blue clothes is on the road, the driver can record it at a distance of 18 meters. It is better, for example, with the yellow color of the clothes, when the pedestrian is recorded at a distance of 37 meters, in white the driver can see it at 55 meters. But even this distance is not sufficient at night to safely avoid pedestrians. Pedestrians should therefore always have an element on their clothing that would make them more visible. For example, fluorescent materials are available – they increase visibility in daylight and dusk but lose their function in the dark. The most commonly used colors are bright yellow, green and orange. It is preferable to use reflective materials – they reflect light in a narrow cone to the source, up to a distance of about 200 meters. They significantly increase visibility in the dark and in reduced visibility. Reflective material is visible at night 3 times greater than white clothing and more than 10 times greater than blue clothing.

It is best to place objects made of reflective materials at the end of the sleeves, close to the knees and at the waist level (cyclists also wear helmets and bikes, for example). Children can then get clothes that are already equipped with elements of reflective materials, as well as already equipped school bags. When the driver does not see, nothing can be done.

At a speed of 75 km / h, the driver needs at least 1.5 seconds to realize the danger and react accordingly – in that time he has traveled 31 meters. And before he starts his evasive maneuver, he walks more than 150 meters away from seeing a pedestrian. Then he needs more time to complete the maneuver and to cover more meters. For this quite simple task, which happens on the roads countless daily, the driver needs about 200 meters. And at such a distance, a pedestrian can only see if he is wearing reflective accessories.

This is a basic safety requirement that a pedestrian should meet. On the other hand, the driver should also follow a simple rule of thumb – driving only fast enough to stop the vehicle at a distance it can see. We should keep in mind that at a speed of 100 km our car will travel 28 meters per second. Often the driver reacts for up to 2.5 seconds and then only brakes for 40 meters. This mathematical excursion is needed because we should realize that the afterglow of the dipped beam of a car is about sixty meters. This means that when the dipped beam is on, we can drive at a maximum of just over seventy kilometers per hour. At a speed of ninety kilometers, we have to count with a stopping distance of over seventy meters. Slightly more favorable is the situation where we can have the main beam on. Then we register pedestrians about 100 meters. If we pass by an oncoming vehicle in the dark and therefore switch from high beam to dipped beam, remember that the distance we are seeing is greatly reduced and the driving speed must be reduced accordingly. If it is not possible to illuminate the driving beam when driving, for example, we can use the beam of the vehicle ahead. It shows us what to expect on the road. We should never look into the lights of oncoming cars that can dazzle us. We follow the space on the right shoulder. By briefly flashing through the high beams, we can “touch” the way ahead. Without dazzling oncoming traffic, we can easily detect an obstacle in the dark.

Cyclists are obliged to have their bicycles properly equipped according to regulations. In poor visibility, the wheel shall be equipped with a headlamp illuminating the white front light and a steady or flashing red light at the rear. It also includes reflectors of the corresponding colors – white reflector at the front, red at the rear and orange on the pedals and the spokes. To increase safety, it is advisable to complete everything with at least reflective stripes on shoes and clothing, helmet and possibly on your bike.

How to increase visibility (pedestrians and cyclists)

Use reflective and fluorescent materials and combine them to see well in both light and dark. Reflective items are best placed at the end of the sleeves, close to the knees and at waist level (cyclists also wear helmets and bikes). Get clothes, school bags, and accessories with reflective and fluorescent safety features for your children. Reflective and fluorescent objects are not expensive. Various pendants, patches, iron-on elements, stickers, hand straps, etc. Not only cars are required to light up, but the cyclist is also required to have a headlight with white light illuminating forwards and a red or flashing red light. A flashing tail light can be seen up to 1000 meters. The driver can see the cyclist in time and adjust the speed to the situation.

Reflectors in Winter: Bright lifesavers for children

Especially in the dark season, children are at risk in traffic. With the right clothes and equipment, you can avoid accidents on the way to school. Our tips to increase visibility in traffic.

“A careless moment, a child running out into the street between parked cars – especially in the fall and winter months accidents happen to the little ones more often. However, many dangerous situations and accidents would be relatively easy to avoid,” says TÜV Rheinland.

Lack of visibility, especially at dusk and in the dark to school trips accidents: Especially accident critical times: between 7 and 8 clocks in the morning and between 16 and 18 clocks. “Children are seen worse,” says Julia Lohmann from the German Road Safety Council (DVR). The risk of accidents increases when snow, rain and backlights worsen the sight of motorists. Parents could easily find a remedy, Fohmann warns.

Safety on the walk

“Parents should always have their children in mind,” says Julia Lohmann. Especially first-graders are particularly vulnerable, since on the one hand by their height even do not have the required overview, on the other hand also be noticed worse. “Children of this age are often still unpredictable and their response is poor.” The ADAC points out. Especially when the little ones first have to master their way to school in the dark. If the parents cannot accompany the children to school, this task can be taken on by other adults or older children.

Visibility in traffic

With light reflective clothing, children are visible in the dark up to 40 meters, in dark clothing, however, only up to 25 meters. If a car has to brake at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour, the braking distance alone is around 28 meters. Therefore, the earliest possible visibility in traffic is extremely important. Colorful clothes seem more striking than monochrome, advises Württemberg insurance. Not only children and pedestrians but also joggers and cyclists are often overlooked in the dark season. Particularly suitable is therefore eye-catching clothing, such as neon colors such as pink or yellow.

Reflectors increase visibility

Who does not know her from his school days? ABC shooters or kindergartners receive small colorful reflectors that they can tie to their school bags or clothing. Meanwhile, there are a variety of animal and cartoon characters and colors of these Blinkies. In the spotlight of oncoming cars, these reflectors are already widely visible.

Visible clothing

In the dark season come again the bright neon-colored safety vests are used. They are made of breathable and lightweight material and can be easily pulled over the normal jackets. Visibility is increased enormously with safety vests: even at a distance of 140 meters, these can be perceived by motorists. An important time to slow down and prevent an accident.

In addition to safety, vests can also be tightened bands and sashes. However, the surface of the reflective material should not fall below 15 square centimeters, warns the Tüv. Otherwise, the luminosity is not big enough. In specialist shops and on the Internet, LED bulbs with reflectors can be purchased, which can then be fastened with a clip to the backs of shoes and bring even more attention

Safe locomotion

Anyway, a roadworthy bike should have reflectors on the spokes, so-called cat’s eyes, as well as reflectors on the pedals, says Julia Lohmann from the German Traffic Safety Council. “And with a bell to be heard better.” In the meantime, there are also bicycles, the rear additional reflective strips and thus increase security. “Young children should also use the sidewalk with their bicycles in the dark season.” Headlamps, worn on the helmet or the head, also generated more attention from oncoming cyclists due to the cyclist’s movement.

Also, the LED lamp could often be switched to the flashing mode and so additionally noticed earlier, advises the Württembergische insurance. However, more and more children are using not only the bicycle but also scooters, which offer less space for reflectors. “But visibility can be increased by using LED lamps that are attached to the front panel,” advises Lohmann. Some scooter manufacturers already have built-in lamps, some also have side LEDs and reflectors on the wheels.

Conclusion: The more flashy, brighter and more colorful the clothes, the more reflectors and blinking on jackets, bicycles, and scooters – the earlier the little ones are perceived even in the dark season. And they are all safer on the road in winter.

Cyclists and pedestrians recognize in good time

“There are just a lot of accidents involving cyclists because they are not seen,” says the employee of the Beranger Ordnungsamt. As part of the nationwide “Day of visibility” campaign, she and her colleague, both of whom do not want to give their names, inform pedestrians and cyclists about the benefits of reflective clothing in traffic on Tuesday morning in front of the Tobias Seiler High School. Reflective bands, flashing lights, bag trailers, gym bags, and safety vests are distributed to ensure that you are seen by other road users.

The employees pay attention not only to the clothing but also to the existing light sources of the bicycles. Many children and adults were already well equipped. “I have reflective clothing, but it’s at home,” was still a frequent response from the students. In the twilight and at night small things, such as a safety vest or reflectors, could help enormously, explained the employee of the public order office.

Cyclists are only required to have a functioning front and rear light. Additional reflectors and helmets are not mandatory, but should always be worn for your own safety. According to the Brandenburg network, experts believe that the number of fatal and serious injuries to cyclists would be reduced by 50 percent if they were more visible to motorists.

In dark clothing, drivers can only detect pedestrians or cyclists from around 25 meters. If you wear reflective material or additional light sources, the distance expands to about 140 meters and you can be recognized early enough. Parents should make sure that children not only wear reflective stripes on the front and back but also on the sides of the body for 360-degree visibility.

Mandatory glare – wear a reflective vest at night

From August 31st, anyone who goes to a non-built-up area after dark uses a glare – reflective clothes. This is the effect of the amendment of the law on traffic. There is no mercy – if you are not visible, you will get a mandate.

 

From Sunday the police will check whether we are in the dark. Therefore, if you are planning to return after dusk outside the built-up area, you need to get reflective.

“It does not have to be a whole yellow vest, you can have an armband, a tinsel, a pendant that has reflective elements,” says Marcela Swede from traffic department of Police Headquarters in Katowice.

 

Such a thing must be pinned when we walk on the side. If we walk on the sidewalk in a built-up area, we do not need to have glare. In any other case, you need to provide a reflective element. Reflect must be visible from afar. “It could be a band, a spot of light, a belt sewn in a jacket, a vest,” Marcela adds.

If we do not have it, they will sign us a mandate. The forks range from $ 20 to $ 500, depending on the risk.

 

Remember this:

  1. You do not necessarily have to wear a yellow reflective vest. It is important that you have a fluorescent band. Available in the market are in colors: yellow, white, blue. The bicyclists put on their legs and hands, so you can do it too.

 

  1. Ladies can attach small reflective pendants to their bags. Such beams in the spotlight can be seen from afar. It’s a sign to the driver that walking is moving along the way. Men can wear armbands, on legs or waistcoats, which we will buy for 5-10 zł.

 

  1. The youngest child can buy reflective teddy bears, elephants that flash. The point is to attract the attention of road traffic. The cost of buying such a gadget is 3 to 5 zł. We put it in a prominent place, on a backpack, a jacket or a bag that holds a toddler going home.

 

  1. When buying a jacket for autumn, you should choose one that already has reflective stripes sewn on. Many sports shops have such covers for sale. If you do not have such a jacket, you can wear a reflective tape and wear a jacket or a school bag in trimmings.

 

  1. If you are not at twilight, you will be able to get a mandate by moving in undeveloped areas. From 20 to 500 zł. The amount we get depends on the policeman and on the threat that we caused. The participant of the traffic is not only a driver on the road, but also a pedestrian.

 

 

Your children will be better seen with in safety vest

See and be seen – this is how it works at the celebrities. Not a bad motto. At least when we are transferred it to road traffic. There is now the time when it is particularly important that the little ones are seen in time!

 

3 things you need to know

Children without reflective clothing are seen by drivers so late that they may not be able to brake in time.

Reflective elements are easy to retrofit.

For school bags and safety clothing, pay attention to the DIN standard.

 

“In the winter, twice as many children are on their way to school as in the summer, and the banal reason in many cases is that car drivers see the child too late, but the children are not aware of this. As soon as first-graders see a driving car, they are convinced that they are also seen by the driver. The insight that there is a big difference between seeing and seeing is fully developed only at the age of eight.”

 

A child who is darkly dressed sees a driver only at a distance of about 30 meters, brightly clad is it with 40 meters just 10 meters more. Compared to how long a car needs to stop, this is – depending on the speed – in many cases too late! If the child carries a reflective safety vest, it is about 130 meters wide! This is enough for a driver at 100 km / h to brake in time.

 

Your child will be enlightened

For school bags and clothing, which should reflect properly, it is important to pay attention to the DIN standard. For the satchels it is DIN 58124, for clothing DIN EN 13356.

 

If the children are to be well visible even with normal clothing, it can be easily retrofitted: reflex tapes, reflective vests, reflex safety collars or reflective patches – the choice is great.

 

In times of the LED you will also find many garments and gadgets that glow and flash: caps, chains, rings, glowing shoe bands. This however please rather as a supplement sees. To the visibility of the reflective strips do not come.

 

And then we have a tip that has nothing to do with the clothes: Give your child enough time for the school way! When the little ones get away in time, they are not under pressure and less break neck.

Cyclist in safety vest check with their wheels

Before it goes to the first bike ride of spring, wheels should be thoroughly checked. Together with the police explained Prussia mascot at the stadium, how to do it correctly. At its own tricycle light was broken.

 

With a stern look Erwin Henchman Prussia looks at Mascot Günter. “On your bike light is broken,” says the traffic police educator in safety vest. Günter can hardly believe it. His green-white bicycle which visited the foal regular elementary school students of the city was a few months in the cellar. Now that spring is around the corner, Günter has dug out his tricycle back and invited all fourth graders to have control with him in a car fixed bicycles. The police came by and looked to see if everything is in order. Was once something is defective, the children got immediate help from members of the ADFC. They repaired the wheels. However, the response to the traffic was extremely hard maul.

 

“Starting in April, I’ll try to ride a bike to work,” says Mathis Wassermann. The police chief is an enthusiastic hobby cyclist and just could not resist when he saw Junkers tricycle. He immediately jumped on the vehicle and raced behind up and down. A colleague of bike season commented: “The proceeds from pretty.” may never absent in Wassermann the helmet. “I am already fallen twice and was glad not to hurt me. That is why it is important to wear a helmet and reflective vest,” he told the children. Most of them follow suit. The cooperation with the primary schools is not new for Prussia and the police. “Since 2012 we are committed to be the first club for road safety,” said Junkers supervisor Nadine. For two years Günter attends the training bike the fourth school year. For as much use were he and the police of the children the price “The Red Knight”. The Transport Festival should serve to make the children and their parents aware that a bicycle before riding in the spring must be thoroughly checked to ensure that nothing happens.

 

“If it cannot itself, help shops in maintenance,” said Erwin. It is important, for example, that the chain is not rusted. The brakes and the lights should work. Importantly not only the brake hoses should be intact, but also the small rubber with which the brake touches the tire. Has a bike stood long, possibly air has to be pumped into the wheels. “One should renew it every five years. Even if he does not have any visible damage, fine hairline cracks may have formed. Then, the helmet is no longer safe,” explains traffic educators Henchman. Since it is not yet properly morning and evening light, bicycles must have at least two reflectors per tire. Alternatively, it also does reflective strips that are attached between the spokes.

 

The children who came to Junkers traffic hard, had little defects on its wheels. As a reward, there was for them yellow safety vests, where Prussia’s mascot is ready.