A car traveling at 65 km / h at night needs a distance of more than 40 meters to avoid hitting a pedestrian or a corridor. ‘runner’. At this time of year, with the shortest days, in which thousands of professional and amateur runners go out to train -even competing- at night, the maxim of “see and be seen” is essential to avoid provoking or being a victim of an accident.
Numerous studies show that reduced visibility is one of the determining factors in pedestrians and cyclists. Therefore, it is important that the night corridor, that pedestrian of the high risk that moves quickly, make sure to be visible to the rest of users of the road, something that too often does not happen. Thinking especially about the night corridor, and to help make your outings safer, the Philips lighting brand, which manufactures and markets Illumines, puts at your disposal the Philips HDL10 headlamp, an ergonomic device with LED technology that provides a soft light with which to beat the darkness in each training
The organizers of the “IX Workshop for Road Safety and Responsible Maintenance of Vehicles” that will be held on March 10 in Madrid and of which Illumines is a sponsoring company through the Philips lighting brand, also recommends drivers to check the lighting system of vehicles, and runners use lighting devices to run, such as LED fronts.
Not in vain, a “runner” that is not visible to motorists assumes a great risk. It is enough to mention that, at night, and according to the conclusions of a study prepared by the Vehicle Research Institute, Farrago Center, a runner wearing dark clothes is only visible at less than 20 meters for the motorist who circulates with the lights of crossing at 40 km / h, which makes it impossible to stop the vehicle within your visual range. In the same situation, but if the runner wears clean clothes, the visual range of the driver would be less than 40 m, so that driving at 65 km / h the motorist could not stop the car within its visual range.
For all this, and to facilitate the recognition of the corridor and possible overtaking maneuvers to the vehicles with which the road shares, the night athlete must help to be visible in advance to the rest of the road users. For this, you can use clear clothes and reflective materials such as vests and items that can be placed on different parts of the body, such as ankles and wrists, and that will allow the motorist to realize that he shares the road with a person in motion. In addition, and to avoid accidents, trips and falls, and be seen much earlier, Philips lighting experts recommend resorting to the use of lighting devices suitable for sports, such as the high-quality LED front LPL29B1, an ergonomic device and adjustable 90 ° which allows to easily direct the light according to the needs of the corridor and its surroundings.
Similarly, Illumines experts recommend drivers to check frequently the status of the lighting system of their vehicles, more in winter when the days are shorter and are also more frequent meteorological phenomena (rain, snow, fog …), that reduce visibility on the road. Remember, too, that the use of Philips lamps like the XV + allows you to see on the road at a greater distance.
Tips to increase the visibility and safety of the night corridor:
- Choose the right equipment: Starting with the shoes and finishing with the clothes. They must be adapted to the terrain through which you are going to travel, the expected climate and temperature. At this time of little or no light, it is more necessary than ever to choose light, fluorescent clothes with reflective tapes, and that the sole of the shoes and grip are appropriate to the terrain.
- Reflective devices: It is highly recommended to use a reflective vest that further enhances the visibility of the corridor. It is also a good idea to use bracelets or anklets that make it easier to identify an athlete on the move.
- Use a lighting front: In your night careers, you will become your best ally. Not only will it help you illuminate the ground you run on, but it will also contribute to the fundamental goal of making you more visible, and at a greater distance, to others. Choose a comfortable model, that facilitates its adjustment to the head, and with autonomy and quality of the beam of adequate light.