Tag: reflective vests

Safety Vest Decorations Change Conversations With School Bus Passengers

The “West Fairy” arrived recently at the Brewster Central School District in New York. Today, her fashion efforts are not only improving transportation department morale but also encouraging more positive interactions with students who ride the school buses.

Five years ago, the district decided for all drivers or any transportation staff members in the school bus yard to wear yellow reflective vests. Mary Smith, supervisor of transportation for the district, said the vests help staff be easily visible to motorists, especially in the early morning, late afternoon or evening.

However, vests quickly became a fashion faux pas among drivers. Smith explained that when she became a supervisor in 2017, the drivers felt more comfortable approaching her to complain about the news situation.

“I came from the driving population and moved up in my role here,” Smith explained. “So, I guess they thought I would have a sympathetic ear. They started asking, ‘Do we have to wear it?’ I certainly want to bypass safety for them, even though they felt uncomfortable wearing it.”

Smith continued, “They started asking,‘ Do we have to wear them while driving? Do we have to wear them when we go to the schools to use the restrooms? ‘Because they felt like it was a fashion faux pas. It matches their outfits, and they walk into that building with all the educators all dressed up nice, and as school bus driver Irene Farias said, they felt like a flag around the side of a highway.”

Farias was also tired of her hearing coworkers complaining about the vests and decided to do something about them. She used a fabric die-cutting machine to make items for her daughter’s wedding, and it soon became a hobby for her.

Farias said she was using the machine so much that the idea came to her to Cricut her news.

“I was listening to everyone complain about their vests, that they are ugly, they are annoying,” Farias said. “I went the opposite [way] because I am positive. I said I am going to embrace my news. I’m going to love my news and make it my own.”

Farias made decorations for her news first and the concept snowballed from there. Her coworkers started asking her to also decorate their vests. Now, Farias has a line of people waiting to be visited by “West Fairy.”

The vests range in style and decoration based on each person’s interests. She said people have asked for sports logos, Harry Potter themes, Disney characters and more.

“One of the women would rather be on the beach because she talks about the beach all the time,” Smith relayed. “Farias made me a shirt, not a news item that says, ‘I Made The Yard Great Again,’ because I’m the new supervisor. The old supervisor is gone, and morale has been lifted. Farias contributed to boosting morale.”

Farias noted that sometimes people would tell her what they want on their vests, while other times, she chooses the design based on their personalities and what they talk about.

“She’s surprised a few people with some vests. Someone retired and made a retired Superman news for them,” Smith explained. “I think a few birthdays gave her the news.”

“I decided that everybody should like their vests,” Farias said. “I’m going to have everyone who wants their vests done to put their name in, and twice a month I’m going to pick a name out and decorate their vests.”

While also boosting departmental morale, Smith said the idea is to give student riders another opportunity to interact positively with their drivers. Smith explained that students often only see the drivers as being disciplinary, and many young students think the drivers never actually leave the bus.

“Fun, but most importantly, it inspires the kids,” Smith said. “This idea kind of personalizes the drivers a little bit and invites a nice friendly conversation about ‘Hey, you like Micky Mouse.’ It makes the driverless intimidating, and the monitors as well, they wear the vests too. And a lot of the monitors have been hit with the fairy. ”

Farias said the idea is spreading, and other surrounding districts have reached out to her about decorating their vests. She said she was hoping her idea spreads even a farther, and expressed the hope that it could even be used as a safety campaign for the community.

“I want mine to say, ‘Red Means Stop,'” Smith added.

A day in the life of a crossing guard: crossing a precarious profession

Devin Way wakes up early, pulls on a fluorescent green safety jacket and grabs his stop sign – the armor of a crossing guard.

Three times a day, he stands at busy Halifax crosswalk and shuttles school children across four lanes of traffic.

The crossing guard has been yelled at, honked at, swiped by bumpers, and given the finger more times than he can count.

“I take that in what I do. But it is a precarious profession,” Way said after a recent morning shift.

“An epidemic of people being stuck in the crosswalks.”

Crossing guards are on the front lines of a protracted clash between cars and pedestrians, one that claims hundreds of victims across Atlantic Canada every year.

In 2019, Halifax Regional Police said 175 pedestrians were injured by vehicles, with four deaths. An additional 72 collisions involved vehicles and a bicycle, scooter or skateboard.

In St. John’s, there were 86 collisions in 2019 involving pedestrians, according to Service NL. So far in 2020, 14 pedestrians have been involved in collisions with vehicles in the Northeast Avalon region, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said.

The problem a police, government and community groups are trying to address.

Awareness campaigns across Atlantic Canada, like Heads Up Halifax, promote safer behavior on the roads.

A few streets in the region have been redesigned with speed bumps, raised crosswalks, narrower intersections, and reduced speed limits.

Still, vehicle-pedestrian collisions continue.

Visibility not the main factor

In Halifax, the majority occur in crosswalks with clear weather conditions and in daylight. The peak time for collisions is about 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays – when crossing guards are at their posts.

Yet even crossing guards – with their neon reflective vests, stop sign and training – get hit.

In January, a Halifax crossing guard was injured when a two-vehicle collision sent one car careening off the road, striking the guard who was standing on the side. Last year, a crossing guard was hit by a vehicle in Clayton Park while helping pedestrians cross the road.

“Getting worse,” said Glenna Casavechia, president of the Halifax crossing guard union CUPE Local 4814.

“We’ve been a crossing guard for 25 years and still amazed at how fast people go without even paying attention.”

Situated near the airport, this Caldwell Road Elementary School is in Dartmouth. She’s been yelled at, hit, and has witnessed rear-enders and cars going up on the sidewalks to avoid crashes.

Still, she keeps donning her safety news and ferrying students across the road to help them stay safe and “make a little extra money for the grandchildren.”

Casavechia said the problem is a lack of enforcement.

“They don’t enforce the rules on the drivers,” she said. “We need permanent radar signs, we need to remind people of the fines are doubled in school zones and we need a lower speed limit.”

Crossing guard pay, safety clothing allowance

Eugene Holloway, a crossing guard since 1985, helps pedestrians cross the street at the intersection of Quinpool and Connaught on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. Eugene Holloway, a crossing guard since 1985, helps pedestrians cross the street at the intersection of Quinpool and Connaught on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. – Ryan Taplin

Despite the risks crossing guards take to help kids get to school safely, many make minimum wage or slightly more.

Halifax’s 150 crossing guards earn $ 14 an hour and receive a $ 175 clothing allowance upon hire. The majority work a 3.5-hour shift, although a handful only works two hours if no lunch-hour shift.

In Charlottetown, the city’s 22 crossing guards make the minimum wage or $ 12.25 per hour, and most work three hours a day.

The city of Moncton was unable to say how much its crossing guards make. It pays an hourly rate of $ 14.25 to $ 14.75 to Neptune Security, a private contractor who oversees the municipality’s 29 crossing guards. A spokesman for Neptune said he could not divulge the pay of its employees, as it goes against the company’s policies.

In St. John’s, 16 crossing guards are paid between $ 12.59 and $ 13.96 an hour, and receive a weekly travel allowance if they travel more than 1.6 km to the school.

While most crossing guards across the region receive a piece of reflective safety news and hand-held stop sign, John’s they are also provided with a whistle and rain suit.

Contributing factors

Students cross the street to attend Birchwood Intermediate School in Charlottetown in this file photo. – Alison Jenkins

“Drivers in St. John’s are faster and wilder than they used to be,” said Roger White, a geography professor at Memorial University.

“Gotten worse over the last 20 or 30 years and still not enforcing here.”

He said sidewalks are rarely adequately cleared, forcing pedestrians to walk into the street.

Daniel Fuller, the Canada Research Chair in Population Physical Activity at Memorial University, said roads need to be safer for everyone – including drivers.

“We need to focus the conversation away from just making pedestrians safer because then we get into this pedestrian versus driver argument,” he said.

“We need policies like Vision Zero that are going to make the roads safer for everyone.”

Vision Zero aims to improve road safety to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on the road. The idea is that by making the roads safer for the most vulnerable users – like school children and the crossing guards helping them – roads will also be safer for motorists.

Fuller said changing road design, particularly at intersections, and reducing speed limits are proven ways to improve road safety.

“Every time you add 10 km to the speed, you double the risk to the person being hit,” he said. “Violated an exponential curve.”

Did you know that the reflexes also go out of date?

Autumn means that it is dark in the early morning and evening. Also, there can be extra demanding driving conditions, with rain and wet roads that almost extinguish all light.

Under such conditions, it is of utmost importance that all pedestrians use reflexes.

Statistics from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration show that a third of pedestrian accidents occur in the dark. In the period 2005 to 2014, 40 percent of traffic accidents involving pedestrians occurred in the dark.

During the same period, statistics show that half of the pedestrians who died in road accidents did not use reflective vests.

It’s not just food that has the best before date. Reflections are also fresh and should be replaced more often than many people think. Bad reflexes can be dangerous to traffic, Tryg Forsikring believes.

“This is because you behave differently when you think you are protected from reflex. According to the road authorities, reflex has a life span of over three years. Reflections on children often get harsh momentum through play. And if you, as an adult, have the reflex in your pocket along with car keys, there is often so much scratching in the reflex that the effect deteriorates considerably. At our home we exchange reflexes every fall,” says Espen Opedal, manager of Tryg Forsikring.

Thursday, October 17 is National Reflection Day this year. The use of reflex reduces the risk of being hit in the dark by 85 percent. Even if you see the car, it is difficult for the motorist to see you if you are walking in the dark without reflex. The little lifeguard is cheap life insurance.

“If you walk along the road in the dark without reflex, you are first visible to the motorist at a distance of 25 meters. With reflex, you will be seen at 140 meters distance, with a dipped beam. A driver at 50 km / h thus has ten seconds instead of two seconds to respond. It can be the difference between life and death. Therefore, you should spend 15 seconds wearing one or more reflexes before going out in the dark,” says Opal, in a press release.

How do you check if the old reflex still works properly?

“All worn reflectors have a reduced effect, including integrated reflections in children’s and exercise clothes, which are often subject to wear through rough use, and which are washed frequently. To check if the reflex is still good, test in a dark room. Light the reflex with a flashlight and compare it with a new reflex. Those who reflect light poorly should be replaced,” says Opal.

Most accidents happen in cities when people cross the street. Lights from cars and shop windows compete for attention and make it difficult to see pedestrians without reflective materials.

Many people think that reflective tapes are not necessary when walking in areas with street lights. That’s wrong. When it is dark outside, it is difficult for the motorist to see you, even in street lighting. If it also rains, it is even harder to see you along the way.

Surveys conducted by Trygg Trafikk show that only 4 out of 10 adults use reflex. The worst adults are over 30 years of age. The best are children.

Pedestrians and drivers will be fined for the same violations

Three people’s deputies from the “Servant of the People” faction registered bills that are going to all road users in the dark to wear reflective elements.

One of the bills concerns pedestrians who move by the roadside or roadway. Their authors of the bill want to oblige in the conditions of insufficient visibility and to distinguish themselves at night. If possible, do these using reflective elements (ribbons, stickers, reflective vests). For violation of this requirement, the bill provides a fine of 51 hryvnias.

The second bill establishes obligations for officials of road services to provide builders who work on the road with reflective elements. It also establishes responsibilities for drivers, cyclists, and animal drivers at the time of day or in conditions of poor visibility to be on the road in reflective vests or to fasten reflective tapes or stickers on clothes. For violation of these requirements, a fine of 510 hryvnias is provided.

Do you care about visibility on the road?

Everyone knows how important children’s safety is on the road. It is good, however, if this awareness translates into real action and real accident prevention. A nationwide initiative comes out Kramp – one of the largest suppliers of spare parts and accessories for the agricultural industry in Europe and at the same time the owner of the Grene chain of stores, based in Modła Królewska near Konin.

“The company decided to supply all kindergartens in our city and the surrounding area (25 facilities) with reflective vests. It is very important for parents to take care of their kids’ safety on the road, especially in autumn, when the weather conditions make the visibility of pedestrians much weaker when returning from school. The simple matter of wearing vests for children provides them with greater safety and thus reduces the risk of an accident.” says Monika Leksowska, Marketing Manager at Kramp Polska.

Education of children promises for the future from an early age. We must focus on shaping the right behavior when moving in traffic, regardless of whether we are pedestrians, cyclists or passengers. We follow the same principle – let’s take care of mutual security. Not without reason, however, most attention is focused on people moving on foot. Our country’s statistics show that 50% of pedestrians – road accident participants lose their lives. This is terrifying information that should motivate us to act on how to prevent it and reduce this number.

“It is impossible to visit all the kindergartens in the region or country, although we would love to. We went to one of the Konin branches, where we talked with children and asked if they knew how to stay safe. Fortunately, preschoolers have shown great awareness of the need to wear glare. We didn’t expect that. They surprised us very positively.” sums up Monika Leksowska.

Representatives of the Kramp company visited the Bajka Kindergarten No. 25 in Konin on November 4, giving children specially prepared yellow safety vests with reflective tape. In parallel with the vest-giving campaign, Kramp also campaigns for its clients. The company sends children’s reflective vests to 500 customers in regions where the risk of children being hit is highest according to the National Road Safety Council. The whole enterprise “Kramp cares for your safety” began in October, when in Grene stores in Poland, every customer received a reflective band with reflective material.

Small things can save lives. Education begins with the simplest safety rules. Children, as it turns out, know this best. Let’s not be worse in this respect. Let’s not be shy and put on our vests.

The municipal police have assistants

They have reflective vests, walk through the streets alongside police officers and control cars or supervise the safety of children at school crossings. We are talking about city police assistants who have passed their first week in the streets of Pilsen.

Meanwhile fifteen of them move around the city, in April there will be five more. “They monitor the situation in the city, supervise safety in general, focus on parking, supervise dogs or public order,” summarizes the activity of young people, City Police spokeswoman Jana Pužmanová. stopping vehicles as well as self-defense, as they will move in the streets on their own from March without their more experienced uniforms.

“If they encounter a problem in the city, they contact the operations department and send a patrol. The assistants only monitor the situation, and the municipal police officer can, of course, ask for help in urgent cases. They are more qualified to do this than an ordinary citizen who is not trained like them, “the spokesperson explains.

Within the project of professional practice for young people up to 30 years of age, the districts were attended by graduates of mostly secondary schools with a security law specialization. After spending one year as assistants in the streets, they can apply for work with the municipal police. Before that, however, they have to travel around the districts to try out different activities. “Each district has its specificity and that is why they will take turns in the offices in Pilsen,” concludes Pužmanová.

Martin Matula: I enjoy working as an assistant

He is twenty-four and has completed his first week as an assistant to the Municipal Police in Pilsen. Martin Matula was so impressed with the work that he was considering becoming a guard in the future. How is your working day?

In the morning before seven o’clock, I come to the office, then I go with officers, they show me problematic or safe places and locations where there are more people.

What are you doing in those places?

It’s about prevention. People see a policeman, see a reflective vest, they can feel safer. For example, we are standing in front of the school, supervising crossings when children go to school or, on the contrary, leave.

And do you enjoy it?

I have been a Pilsner man all my life, knowing Pilsen in a way I have never experienced before, and at the same time, it is a decent job because I help. That’s what I enjoy. What’s more, it’s a different job, something different happens every day, and it’s never the same.

Are you considering joining the municipal police then?

I have completed a month of training within the project and I have been in Pilsen streets for less than a week, which is not long. In the meantime, I can say that I would like to join the municipal police after the project.

What did you find most interesting about your work over the past week?

The most grateful is the service at schools, I see that we help children and nothing happens to them. It is the balance of the repressive component that is also with the municipal police.

Speaking of the repressive component, what activity did you do in this area?

We check to park occasionally, I was present with the citizen. And that is also the content of the project, as well as the work of the officer. He has to deal with people.

Reflective vests will be mandatory in Germany from July

Starting in July, drivers in Germany will have to wear reflective vests in cars, and there is a fine for breach of duty. On the same date, the environmental rules for entry into some German cities are also tightened, to which cars with red and yellow emission plaques will no longer be allowed.

The inclusion of a reflective vest in the mandatory equipment of the car should improve the safety of drivers who have to leave the car in the event of an accident or breakdown, as motorists will be able to see them more easily in the surrounding vehicles. The new design does not specify whether the reflective vest should be orange, yellow or green. Unlike Austria, German regulations will not require a vest for every passenger of the car, one will be enough per vehicle.

If the driver does not have a reflective vest with reflective tape in his car, he is at risk of a fine of 15 euros (410 crowns) at the roadside check. German car club ADAC, however, warns that if the driver of the vest when getting off the vehicle, it is not an offense. In this case, however, he will probably not be entitled to compensation from the insurance company if he is injured by a passing car.

Since July, the rules for entry into some German cities have also been tightened. While so far cars with three types of emission plaques were allowed to enter, only cars with a green plaque, which indicates the engine with the least environmental impact, will now be allowed to enter. The measure concerns 21 cities in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Similar arrangements have been in place for example in Berlin.

The type of emission plaque is determined by the number of harmful substances that the vehicle emits into the atmosphere during operation. The Green Plaque has been eligible for petrol-powered cars since 1993, diesel-powered passenger cars since 2006 and trucks put into operation since October 2006. All-electric vehicles are also automatically awarded the Green Plaque.

In the Czech Republic, it is possible to obtain the plaque at most technical inspection stations upon the presentation of a large technical certificate. According to the Central Automotoclub of the Czech Republic, the price of the plaque is around 300 crowns, its validity is not limited in time.

Should the driver enter the defined low-emission zone without an emission plaque or with a lower grade than the given city permits, he will face a fine of EUR 80 (CZK 2200).

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.

Pedestrians start to wear reflective elements, the government agrees

A breach of duty should be subject to a fine of up to two thousand crowns “on the spot”. But it must be reduced visibility and walking on the road without public lighting.

Pedestrians should be obliged to use at least one reflective material element on their garments if they are walking on the road without visible light in poor visibility. The government approved today a proposal of the Ministry of Transport, which is part of the amendment to the Act on Road Traffic.

A breach of duty is to be subject to a fine of up to two thousand crowns “on the spot”, such as in the so-called block proceedings. The Office in administrative proceedings could then impose a fine of CZK 1,500 to 2,500. The same sanctions are already threatening pedestrians for violating other duties, typically poor passage. The exception should be unforeseeable circumstances, such as impassable pavement and temporarily inoperative public lighting.

According to the proposal, the pedestrian is obliged to wear reflective elements placed so that they are visible to other road users. However, only when moving in poor visibility along the shoulder or on the edge of a roadway in a place where there is no street light or where the street light is off. All three conditions (reduced visibility, road, no illumination) are required at the same time.

Marketing action tip

In addition to the night, reduced visibility means, in particular, fog, heavy rain, dusk or dawn. The law does not specify the exact dimensions or location of the reflective fabric element on the pedestrian’s garment. However, it must be visible from the front and the rear, ie large enough and uncovered. According to the ministry, it is optimal to use reflective tape on the hand or foot of a pedestrian (ideally in both places) facing the road.

The Office expects that the acquisition of reflective elements will cost a pedestrian about 50 crowns, while some have and use them now. It is also possible to expect marketing events in which traders or petrol stations offer reflective elements with a discount or a free bonus. The ministry expects the municipal police to increase their expenditures by approximately 5% (due to the extension of controls). The main benefit for the state is to decrease the number of accidents and thus reduce the related costs.

Visibility rises several times

Although the number of pedestrians killed in the Czech Republic is decreasing (134 died on the roads in 2013), the Czech Republic still occupies one of the worst locations among European Union countries. The Ministry recalls that the obligation to wear reflective elements has been imposed by many other countries, including Slovakia. Reflective material is visible at night three times greater than light clothing and more than ten times greater than dark clothing.

The Ministry of Transport originally considered a stricter option – the use of reflective vests, not just elements. However, it rejected it, as well as a milder solution consisting only in another awareness campaign.

If the amendment is approved by the Government and subsequently by Parliament, it is due to come into effect from January 2016.

Not seeing? You play with life

In 2009, 37 pedestrians died at night, some of them also because they were not visible. Prague children learn to wear reflective elements.

Maybe not much was missing, and Jan Vasa, ten, could also be the victim of the accident. As he recalls, more than a year ago, he almost hit a vehicle.

“Fortunately, nothing happened in the end,” says the boy from Újezd ​​nad Lesy, who won the photographic competition We Want to Be Seen on Friday.

The task was to promote the use of reflective tapes on clothing. In 2009 alone, 127 people were killed in the Czech Republic in poor visibility, 480 were seriously injured and 3537 were slightly injured.

Parts of them may not have happened if these people were visible. In Prague, for example, all first-graders get reflective vests – and so do

they are a common standard in kindergartens. But with increasing age, the use of reflective elements is rapidly decreasing.

Anyone can have a small supplement

“Today it is fashionable to walk a lot in black, gray and other colors that are not very visible. Yet it can ‘be seen’ to save lives in confusing places. Some small accessory will not hurt anyone,” said Jarmila Johnová from the Prague Mother Association. This together with the association Oživení and the Partnership Foundation organized the competition.

Many Prague schools took part in the event, besides Újezd ​​from Kunratice or Slivenec.

“Children were tasked to photograph themselves, their classmates, teacher or family member posing or walking, riding a bicycle, skating or scooter. The condition was that each contest participant should have a reflective accessory in a visible place,” explained Petra Lukešova.

“We hope that the campaign will help make reflective materials on clothing, handbags or backpacks a matter of course, not only for children but also for adults, as is the case in many other European countries, such as Sweden or the Netherlands,” John concluded.

Sweden wants to have such a safe operation that by 2020 no one should die in operation.