stellaqi, Author at Reflective tape

Motorbike trips abroad: 5 things to know

Small guide to motorbike trips abroad, with the 5 things to know: necessary documents, mandatory equipment, traffic regulations, useful numbers, and travel policy

From 3 June Italy will reopen the borders with the EU + Switzerland and the United Kingdom countries (waiting to be able to do so with other States) and therefore motorbike trips abroad will also be possible in the complicated summer 2020, unless changes dictated by the evolution of the pandemic which unfortunately we cannot rule out. However many bikers are already planning the itinerary and others will do it in the coming weeks: for their benefit, we publish the 5 most important things to know when traveling abroad by motorbike.

MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: WHICH DOCUMENTS

For motorbike trips abroad in the countries of the European Union and the Schengen area, therefore including Switzerland, all you need is an identity card + driving license, registration document and certificate of insurance, obviously all valid. The Italian driving license is sufficient, in Europe the international driving license is required only in very few States (Russia, Armenia, and Georgia). Instead, the so-called green card, the insurance document that certifies the effectiveness of the RC motorcycle also abroad it is not necessary for EU countries and other states. In Europe, they could still request it in Albania, Belarus, Bosnia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine (inquire before leaving). Finally, if you go abroad driving a motorbike that you do not own, it is advisable to have a delegation to lead by the owner: in plain paper for the EU and with a signature authenticated by a notary for non-EU travel.

MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: MANDATORY EQUIPMENT

Oh well, needless to say, that the helmet is mandatory everywhere, then depending on the destination other equipment is needed. For example, limiting ourselves to neighboring or neighboring countries:

Austria: Din 13167 approved first aid kit.

Croatia: Din 13167 approved first aid kit; retro-reflective vest; replacement bulbs.

France: reflective vest, protective gloves approved by EU for driver and passenger; approved breathalyzer kit.

Slovenia: Din 13167 approved first aid kit; reflective vest; replacement bulbs.

Switzerland: reflective jacket.

MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: THE RULES ON CIRCULATION

Also for the rules on the movement of foreign countries, the complete guide of the ACI and the Viaggiare Sicuri website can be consulted, here we report only the countries bordering Italy (+ Croatia), focusing especially on the rules that differ from our country:

Austria: motorway toll via ‘vignette’ ( here the rules on motorway tolls in Europe ); blood alcohol limit 0.049%.

Croatia: forbidden to carry a child under 12 on a motorcycle; dipped headlights mandatory even during the day; blood sugar limit 0.05%.

France: 80 km / h limit on departmental and state two-way and single track roads ( here all the speed limits in Europe when traveling by motorbike ); dipped headlights mandatory also during the day for motorcycles and mopeds registered after 1 July 2004; blood sugar limit 0.05%.

Slovenia: highway toll via ‘sticker’; it is forbidden to carry a child under 12 on a motorcycle; use of mandatory dipped headlights also during the day; blood sugar limit 0.05%.

Switzerland: motorway toll via ‘sticker’; dipped headlights mandatory even during the day; blood sugar limit 0.05%.

MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: USEFUL NUMBERS TO KNOW

Abroad it is always recommended to write down some phone numbers to contact in case of need.

Austria : single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 120; Italian Embassy in Vienna: 0043 (1) 7125121.

Croatia : single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 1987; Italian Embassy in Zagreb: 00385 -1- 48 46 386 – 00385 – 98.417660.

France : single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 0800 089222; Italian Embassy in Paris: 0033 1 49 54 03 00.

Slovenia : single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 1987 or 00386 1 5305353; Italian Embassy in Ljubljana: 00386 1 4262194 0038614262320 – 0038614258659 – 00386 41 736773.

Switzerland: single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 140; Italian Embassy in Bern: 0041 31 350 07 77 – 0041 79 3219202.

MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: TRAVEL INSURANCE

In addition to the compulsory motorcycle insurance, to which any additional guarantees may be added (for example, Accidents to the driver), before leaving, it is necessary to consider whether to take out a travel policy to cover at least the health costs. To tell the truth, until recently, these policies were required above all for travel overseas or in exotic places. But the vicissitudes of recent months, with the pandemic that has shocked the world and from which we will not free ourselves quickly, advise greater caution even when traveling in Europe. On the web, many online companies offer travel insurance rather low prices and they are all quite reliable. Important: those who decide to take out one and wish not to have any surprises make sure that the policy signed also covers the infection by Covid-19.

Why there are more and more traffic accidents with cyclists

A study confirms that accidents between cyclists and vehicles are caused by a combination of inadequate infrastructure and risky behavior by drivers and cyclists.

According to the Colombian Traffic Police, by September 2017, 42% of the accidents with cyclists that had been registered that year had occurred in the night hours and involved cyclists without a reflective vest.

In recent years, more and more people around the world have chosen to use the bicycle as a means of urban transport. However, many abstain from talking about it due to the danger that often involves moving with this means of transport. the scenario is not exclusive to Colombia: in the European Union, for example, in the last 30 years accidents between cyclists and vehicles have suffered a systematic increase.

According to the Institute of Legal Medicine, in Colombia in 2016 there were 4,447 accidents involving bicycles; in 589 of them the cyclists died, and 3,858 were injured.

“Given the characteristics of the vehicle and the little use of passive safety measures, cyclists are, along with pedestrians, the most vulnerable road users to suffer serious injuries in the event of an accident,” Sergio Alejandro Useche, a researcher at the Research Institute of Traffic and Road Safety (INTRAS) of the University of Valencia.

In urban centers, it is where 70.7% of accidents and 67.4% of victims’ injuries or deaths occur, compared to rural roads, where 29.3% of claims and 32.6% of the victims. 47.2% of serious cyclist injuries occur on conventional urban roads.

To understand the increase in incidents with cyclists and to be able to develop preventive policies, a study led by Useche has analyzed the relationship between roads and human factors with traffic accidents. The results, published in the magazine Sustainability, show that, in collisions between motorized vehicles and bicycles, both factors are present. These data could serve to explain and prevent road accidents.

Lack of driver education

The researchers interviewed 1,064 cyclists (38.8% female and 61.2% male), on average 33 years old and from twenty countries in Europe, South America, and North America, in an online survey. According to the expert, the increase in accidents with cyclists is due to “the widespread use of the bicycle, which is still disorganized, poorly controlled and unregulated today, and rarely linked to the education and road training of its users,” emphasizes the investigator.

Scientists highlight the need to intervene in infrastructure to reduce problematic interactions with other users, which occur when cyclists must share roadways with the motor vehicle or pedestrian users; simplify circulation on friendlier roads; and strengthen the culture of bicycle use and respect for it in all users.

On the other hand, the researchers have observed that in the traffic codes “there is a worrying lack of regulations to regulate the use of the bicycle in shared mobility with other types of vehicles.”

Regarding individual or human factors, the study highlights risk behaviors, divided into two main types. The first is the so-called unintended errors or failures by drivers. “These can be reduced by carrying out adequate road training, as is done, for example, with motor vehicle drivers,” says Useche.

Another behavior observed in accidents is traffic offenses. In the opinion of the experts, it is essential to strengthening road training by cyclists and drivers to avoid them. “This requires the support of the media, institutions and the educational system,” conclude the authors, for whom this would improve public health and social coexistence between the different mobility systems.

New control for motorcyclists

The Ministry of Security of the Nation made official on Tuesday the decree that requires changes in Traffic Law 24,449 regarding the control of motorcyclists. Even though Mendoza is governed by the Provincial Traffic Law 6.082, the measure will be applied on national routes and international corridors.

The modifications expressed in Decree 171/2017, which will be implemented as of Thursday, June 15, require that “the identification of the domain registered in the patent plate located on the vehicle, the mandatory identification of the domain number registration in the protective helmet, mandatory for the driver and front passenger, as well as the mandatory use for the front passenger of a reflective vest.”

The passenger vest, according to the standard, maybe pure yellow, and yellow or orange-yellow in the background and will have at least two horizontal reflective white bands on the front and rear top, five centimeters wide and with a separation among them 14 centimeters, in the middle of which the vehicle’s domain number will be printed in reflective white letters and numbers.

These new measures implemented to combat insecurity, as pointed out by the Minister of National Security, Patricia Bullrich, should not be applicable in Mendoza, which is governed by the Provincial Traffic Law 6.082.

It dictates, among other regulations, in article 49: “In the case of mopeds, motorcycles and the like, the occupant or occupants wear a special motorcycle safety helmet. Helmets for industrial use are prohibited.”

See also: In June, the new controls begin for motorcyclists

The regulations in the province

The undersecretary of Institutional Relations of the Ministry of Security, Néstor Majul, assured that the new decree will not be applicable in Mendoza as it is related to the National Traffic Law. However, on national routes and international corridors, federal security forces – such as the Gendarmerie – may be required to comply.

“Once the change is implemented, we will evaluate whether it gives results and is adjustable to the province. However, this new measure will be being carried out by the Gendarmerie on national routes,” said Majul.

The second commander of the National Gendarmerie, Sergio Salinas, told El Sol that they will enforce Traffic Law 24,449 within national routes and international corridors.

“Although we have not been informed of the modification, from June 15 we will enforce it. And, to those who do not comply with it, the corresponding fines will be applied”, confirmed Salinas.

The Ministry of Transport of the Nation informed this newspaper that “the patent of the helmet and the reflective vest must be paid in the corresponding Automotive Registry.”

With this measure, Mendoza residents who wish to travel to Chile by motorcycle must comply with the patenting of the helmet and reflector vest of the companion to avoid fines and be able to pass to the neighboring country.

Data of national routes and international complexes in Mendoza

The province is crossed by several national routes, standing out 40 – from North to South – and 7, from the border with San Luis to the East to the border with Chile, to the West.

Also, on route 7, the International Corridor to Chile stands out. The Province has a connection with the Argentine Los Horcones complex and the Chilean Los Libertadores complex.

Also, Mendoza people usually circulate on the following national routes: 7, 40, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 149, 153, and 188, where the mandatory helmet and patent-pending vest will be enforced.

They develop vests that detect social distance

Elements sound, vibrate and turn on warning lights when one vest is close to another.

Schwarzmüller, an Austrian manufacturer of cargo vehicles, has become the first company in Europe to wear novel protective safety vests that warn of an unwanted approach between two people wearing it to maintain the minimum separation imposed by the coronavirus in work environments.

The protective vest sounds and vibrates, while the lights on the shoulder straps and waist turn on when you are going to exceed the safety distance with another person.

In this way, the system guarantees the social distance between workers, required to control the pandemic, also in assembly lines and other industrial facilities.

The company’s spokesman, Michael Prock, said in telephone statements to Efe that by acquiring this personalized system, “the responsibility of guaranteeing the health of the workers” is assumed.

“We also avoid possible and costly interruptions to our production lines in the event of a positive, which would force us to place numerous workers in quarantine,” he adds.

The traditional company, with 140 years of history, has acquired dozens of these vests, developed by the German company Linde Material Handling, and whose price is 499 euros per unit. The vests weigh about 300 grams and their battery holds up to a full work shift of about eight hours.

Peter Markschläger, the spokesman for Linde Austria, explains that this technology comes from a system applied in transport vehicles in logistics centers or in large construction sites, which serves to avoid collisions, by warning both the driver and the pedestrian that they are approaching. each other.

According to Markschläger, the vests can be used “in any area where many people work, as people usually have trouble estimating the necessary distance well.”

Alarm vests to avoid contagions

New health work safety protocols are forcing companies around the world to activate their imaginations. The redistribution of spaces and the installation of partitions help to ensure the safety of workers who occupy a fixed position, but those who move constantly during their activity are often still unprotected. So this anti-virus vest is succeeding in Germany. It is a reflective vest that lights up, beeps and vibrates if two workers approach within less than a meter and a half of safety distance established by the German authorities. Warned by the vest, the worker himself is in charge of moving away from his partner.

One of the first companies to test them has been Austrian freight vehicle manufacturer Schwarzmüller, whose CEO, Roland Hartwig, explains that “as the de-escalation progressed, the government has been very clear in insisting that the safety distance is now the main tool to keep infections at bay and we were exposing ourselves that, if there are positives among our workers, we would be forced to stop the activity. That is why we have focused our strategy on these vests”, which the workers have accepted with satisfaction.

Schwarzmüller is based in Freinberg bei Schärding, but the vests are made a long way from this idyllic region of Austria. The German company Linde Material Handling, also affiliates in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Italy, is the one that has had the idea of supplying its customers with this product designed specifically for the Covid-19 crisis. The vests weigh about 300 grams and their battery holds up to a full work shift of about eight hours. Peter Markschläger, the spokesman for Linde Austria, explains that this technology comes from a system applied in transport vehicles in logistics centers or in large construction sites, which serves to avoid collisions, by warning both the driver and the pedestrian that they are approaching. each other. “Through a 4 gigahertz ultra-broadband signal we ensure that the vests always stay connected without interference with other systems”, he says, convinced that this system is much more practical and efficient than connections via wireless internet or bluethooth since they are less stable and exact in an industrial environment.

Markschläger does not dare to predict if we will soon wear private pedestrian vests like these, to avoid unwanted approaches in supermarket aisles or zebra crossings, but there is no doubt that it is a truly anonymous device, which preserves our privacy and our freedom to a much greater extent than the mobile applications that Google and Apple are already starting to take advantage of in terms of big data.

High visibility vest: when to wear it and how many to bring in the car

In our cars, it is necessary to carry various mandatory safety elements. One of them is the emergency triangles, which we have talked about in-depth, explaining how and when to use them. Another essential element for our safety, and mandatory equipment in all vehicles, is a high-visibility reflective vest. When should this high visibility vest be used? How many high visibility vests should you take in the car? Can I be fined if I don’t wear a high visibility vest? In this article, we solve all your doubts about this security element.

Is it mandatory to wear a high visibility vest in the car? How should the vest be?

The answer is a resounding yes. The high visibility vest is a mandatory security element in every vehicle. It is mandatory to carry it in the car since 2004, and its obligation is included in the Traffic Regulations of January 23, 2004, along with that of the emergency triangles. The vest must be red, yellow, or orange, and must equip at least two horizontal reflective bands, at least 5 centimeters. It must be certified according to the European standard EN-471 for use in tourism vehicles and industrial vehicles.

When should the high visibility vest be used?

If we are forced to stop our vehicle on an extra-urban road, either on the road itself or on the shoulder, we must get out of the car with the high-visibility vest on. Yes or yes. The most common situations in which we will be forced to use it will be in the event of a breakdown or accident, but we must always wear it if we leave the vehicle on any type of road, motorway or freeway. We must wear it when we go to put the emergency triangles and if we are standing or behind the guardrail – waiting for roadside assistance.

If it is winter and we must put the chains on the car, we must do it with a high visibility vest on. Think that thanks to this vest, we are visible to other drivers at distances of up to 150 meters. The high visibility vest can be carried stored anywhere in the vehicle, but we must leave the car with it on. Therefore, the trunk or spare wheel well would not be the best place to store it. The back of the seat, the door storage compartment, or the glove compartment are the most ideal places for storage.

The objective of the vest is for us to be visible to other drivers, both day and night, avoiding endangering our physical integrity.

How many reflective vests should we take in the car?

An important detail that we must take into account is that all people who leave the vehicle must necessarily wear a high visibility vest. In other words, we must wear a vest for each occupant of the vehicle – it doesn’t matter if we drive a seven-seater minivan. This is an important rule and requires those who do not have a high-visibility vest on. This provision should only be violated if occupants without vests are in physical danger – for example, if the car is smoking or on fire, or they are exposed to extreme weather.

Can I be fined for not wearing the high visibility vest?

If you leave the vehicle on an extra-urban road without a reflective vest on, you are exposed to a financial penalty of up to 200 euros – without removing points from your driving license. If you do not have a reflective vest in your car, you can purchase a vest approved for use in cars at just over eight euros.

Parents love this reflective coat that helps kids stay safe in the dark

With winter in full swing, the evenings are getting much darker. So it can be easy for parents to worry when they walk home from school.

When it’s dark outside, it can be hard for motorists to spot pedestrians, which is why reflective clothing with reflective fabric can be very beneficial at this time of year. But Next have got you covered.

Parents are very impressed with Next’s Fleece Lined Padded Jacket, which is available for ages 3 – 16 years. It’s made with a reflective print and is available in black, camouflage, navy, and mustard.

According to Next, the coat is, “Made from a heat-sealed fabric, this padded jacket features fleece-lined pockets and a reflective print at the back.”

Fleece Lined Padded Jacket

Made from a heat-sealed fabric, this padded jacket features fleece-lined pockets and a reflective print at the back.

It also features fleece-lined pockets, it’s shower resistant, and suitable for cold weather, so the perfect coat for your children to wear as it starts getting cold, wet and windy outside.

But it’s the reflective print that’s impressed shoppers this winter. Speaking about it on Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK, one mum wrote, “Such a simple idea, why aren’t all kids jackets made like this for the winter, it would save so many lives!”

Reviews on Next’s website have been very positive too, with it receiving 4.5/5 from customers.

One wrote, “Son needs a plain black coat for school. This was perfect and great value”

Another said, “Perfect fit and excellent quality. Good value for money. Perfect school coat.”

And a third wrote, “Nice quality coat for school – warm and shower proof.”

You can even get a reflective pom beanie hat to go alongside it, to ensure your children are warm and safe out there this winter.

Does reflective and fluorescent clothing make us safer?

We cyclists are the most vulnerable of all road users. We’re up to 30 times more likely to get injured on the road than drivers are, and up to 18 times more likely to get killed.

They’re concerning stats, and it’s up to all of us to ensure we’re as visible as possible (and therefore as safe as possible) while riding on the road. But how do we do that? Is it simply a case of wearing brighter clothing? And what about when it comes to riding at night?

Every cyclist has a story to tell of the time a driver didn’t see them, leading to a scary near-miss or worse, a crash. And if you’ve been riding for any length of time, you’ve probably been involved in several such incidents yourself.

This experience isn’t just borne out anecdotally — research suggests that the majority of crashes involving a cyclist and motor vehicle are a case of “looked but failed to see”. That is, incidents where the driver might well have been looking in the direction of the cyclist, but failed to recognize that what they were seeing was a cyclist. There’s a reason SMIDSY – “Sorry mate, I didn’t see you” – has become such a familiar acronym among cyclists.

Several factors can make a cyclist hard to spot, including ‘visual clutter’ on or beside the roadway, the light conditions at the time, and, crucially, the conspicuity of the rider.

STAYING VISIBLE

There have been many studies in recent decades investigating how “visibility aids” affect the ease with which drivers can spot cyclists on the road. In a 2009 literature review, nine papers were found that compared the visibility of fluorescent and non-fluorescent colors. All but one of those nine trials found that fluorescent colors were more visible to drivers. Fluorescent clothing in red, yellow, and orange — colors that contrast significantly with the riding environment — was found to be most effective1.

Another paper, published in 2007 by researchers in New Zealand, compared the number of times cyclists spent off work as a result of crashes involving a motor vehicle. They found that riders who never wore fluorescent cycling kit spent eight times as much time away from work as riders who always wore such clothing.

Studies like these seem to point in a clear direction: riders who wear fluorescent cycling gear aren’t just more visible to drivers, they’re also less likely to be hit and injured.

But this is only part of the story because such findings are only relevant when considering riding in daylight.

NIGHT RIDING

Whether it’s commuting to and from work in the winter months or heading out for a pre-dawn bunch ride, most of us do at least some of our riding in the dark. And as you might expect (or may have witnessed first-hand) riding at night is more dangerous than during the day. Some 35% of all fatal cycling crashes happen at night, despite the fact, only about 10% of cyclists ride after dark.

While fluorescent clothing is effective at increasing rider visibility during the day, it’s largely useless at night.

During the day, fluorescent clothing takes ultraviolet (UV) light from the sunlight we can’t see — and converts it into the light we can see. The result is an increase in the total amount of visible light that’s reflected off the clothing, giving fluo clothing a brighter appearance. This is particularly the case in low-light conditions, around dawn and dusk.

At night, there’s no UV sunlight to convert, so the fluorescent material isn’t effective. And so for cyclists to be as visible as possible in the dark, reflective, rather than fluorescent clothing, is required.

REFLECTIVE CLOTHING

It’s intuitively obvious that reflective clothing with reflective fabric makes us more visible in low-light conditions. Rather than being absorbed by our clothing, light from car headlights and streetlights is reflected nearby drivers, making us more visible than we otherwise would have been.

Jackets with reflective paneling are the most common piece of reflective gear used by cyclists but, perhaps surprisingly, they don’t seem to be the most effective.

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, Professor Joanne Wood from the Queensland University of Technology leads a team of researchers focused on cyclist visibility and the benefits of reflective clothing. In a study published in 2010, Wood and her team tested the night-time visibility of a range of different clothing setups used by cyclists:

a) a black tracksuit
b) a black tracksuit and a fluorescent yellow cycling vest with no reflective markings
c) a black tracksuit and a jacket with reflective markings
d) a black tracksuit, a jacket with reflective markings and reflective strips positioned on the cyclist’s ankles and knees.

The results are striking: “Overall, drivers identified the largest number of cyclists wearing the vest plus the ankle and knee reflectors (90% correctly recognized), followed by the reflective vest alone (50%), the fluorescent clothing (15%), and lastly black clothing (2%).”

These results mirror research findings on the visibility of pedestrians at night and can be explained by a concept known as biological motion— that is, “our visual sensitivity to patterns of human motion”.

A reflective jacket, while more effective than simple black clothing, limits reflective material to the rider’s torso which, according to Professor Wood and her colleagues “presents much less motion information to approaching drivers”.

Reflective strips on the knees and ankles, on the other hand, move up and down as the cyclist moves, helping drivers to better recognize the object in front of them as a moving cyclist, as opposed to a simple light source3.

This finding seems to lead to an obvious recommendation for cyclists: if you want to maximize your safety at night, don’t just wear reflective clothing; ensure that the reflective clothing includes reflective strips worn on the ankles and knees.

But as we know, road cyclists can be a fickle, fashion-conscious bunch.

FASHION VS SAFETY

Researchers have long shown that cyclists know the benefits of reflective clothing but choose not to wear it. This might not be surprising when considering the fashion- and performance-conscious road riding scene.

Reflective clothing has traditionally lacked the aesthetic appeal and performance of other, more stylish kit options, while also being associated with casual or commuter riding. But now, with major kit brands getting on board, reflective gear is being designed for the performance market.

Sugoi, Proviz, Hey Reflect’o and Specialized are among brands to have developed reflective jackets that stand out impressively when lit up by car headlights and other artificial light sources. And then there are the products that harness the power of biomotion to further increase rider visibility.

Giro has developed impressively reflective cycling shoes, Castelli and Sugoi are among those to have made reflective overshoes, and the likes of Pactimo and Proviz have made winter tights with large reflective panels below the knee.

According to the 2009 literature review, yellow was found to be the most visible non-fluoro color in six trials. White was more visible than grey and black in three trials.

Interestingly, while Wood and colleagues found that cyclists generally tend to overestimate how visible they are to other road users, they underestimated how visible they would be while wearing reflective strips on their ankles and knees.

Professor Wood and her colleagues showed in a subsequent paper that the use of bike lights reduced the effectiveness of reflective ankle and knee strips. Wood offers a simple explanation for this surprising finding: “This pattern may have resulted from the bicycle light (mounted on the handlebars) acting as a glare source that reduced the drivers’ ability to see the reflective markings on the ankles and knees.” While Wood et al. don’t say as much, it would seem that the combination of reflective ankle and knees strips + lights, while detracting from the visibility of the reflective items, is still more visible than lights on their own.

City councilor eyes law on reflective vests

A CITY councilor is pushing for an ordinance requiring all motorcycle users, including the driver and passengers, to wear reflective vests when traveling along Davao City’s roads especially at night time.

Councilor Jesus Joseph Zozobrado, on Tuesday during the regular session, said his proposed ordinance will provide an “additional blanket of security” for motorcycle drivers as this will allow the other motorists to see them at night.

“Motorcycle riders need to be visible if they want to be safe on the road and the best way to do that is to pass an ordinance that will make the wearing of fluorescent or high-visibility clothing part of their gear,” Zozobrado said during his privilege speech.

“We need to strictly regulate the use of motorcycles. After all, this is not just for our safety but primarily for the safety of the motorcycle driver and the rider,” he added.

The councilor presented data from the World Health Organization (WHO) wherein 1.25 million deaths are reported due to road crashes every year.

He also said that the WHO reported that 10,000 Filipinos die due to road crashes.

“Road crashes are the main cause of death globally, usually among people between ages 15-19 years,” Zozobrado said.

Although he said Davao City does not have an exact data of road crashes, he said the city shares similar incidents of road accidents, most of them involving motorcycles.

The councilor said motorcycle drivers who insert their vehicles in between slow-moving vehicles are one of the leading motorcycle accidents. This type of driving is prohibited by law.

He said that wearing a vest is not included in the Land Transportation Order Administrative Order No. AHS-2008-013.

The order includes the motorcycles to be registered, the use of license plates, and the rule of one back-rider.

Meanwhile, the Davao City Police Office–Traffic Group (DCPO-TG), recorded six cases in May and seven cases in June this year for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.

While DCPO-TG registered 17 cases in May, and 16 in June for reckless imprudence resulting in serious physical injury.

Does Vehicle Color Play a Role in Apparatus Safety?

Beginning in the early 1970s, research was introduced suggesting there was a relationship between fire apparatus color and vehicle accidents. The concept presented was those lighter, brighter more visible colors would gain attention more quickly, improve reaction time, and as a result, reduce the number of visibility-related accidents.

Arguments against the color theory focused on the effectiveness of using flashing lights and sirens as warning devices, and the driving public would not quickly recognize fire vehicles if they weren’t the traditional red color.

By definition, the most visible vehicle colors are in the group of lime-green, lime-yellow, and yellow, while the most traditional apparatus colors are in the group of reds.

Where did we start?

Over the years, these issues were argued, studied, and re-argued leading to a study published in 1984 to compare the accident rates of fire apparatus consisting of two distinct colors —lime-yellow and red.

That multi-city study involved nine departments with an aggregate of more than 750,000 runs. All fire apparatus in the study consisted of engines and aerials. Five cities used red and four cities used the lime-yellow apparatus. The results showed the five “red” cities had accident rates higher than the four “lime-yellow” cities. The overall average was 31.9 accidents/100,000 runs of red apparatus vs. 15.3 accidents/100,000 runs of lime-yellow apparatus. Stated another way, the red apparatus had an accident rate almost double the lime-yellow rate.

While the data pointed toward lower accident rates with the use of the yellow group of colors, enough questions were raised to indicate more research would be helpful.

Therefore, a second study, published in 1995 with more precise controls was initiated and dealt with four years of data and analyzed one large department (Dallas, TX), which had both a red or red/white fleet and a lime-yellow fleet. The single department approach was done to reduce variables, which included training, weather, language usage, apparatus maintenance, community culture, law enforcement, insurance requirements, and fire department response policies. Only pumpers/engines were considered to control the variable of vehicle size. The actual police reports for each event were studied to have an accurate knowledge of what occurred.

This study involved a comprehensive method of analysis and was published as original research in research in 1995 in the “Journal of Safety Research” by the National Safety Council. It was peer-reviewed by a panel of anonymous experts to assure accuracy, reliable methodology, and results. There were fewer runs than the prior evaluation but limiting the variables as much as possible allowed a more precise computation of accident rates. The research revealed lime-yellow pumpers were statistically safer than red or red-white fire pumpers.

The conclusion of the study stated: “…the likelihood of having a visibility-related multiple-vehicle accident or a visibility-related single-vehicle accident for a red or red-white fire pumper is greater than for a lime-yellow or lime-yellow/white fire pumper. Perhaps it is more than three times as great.” The results confirm color visibility reduces accidents and when accidents do occur, they are less severe.

Where are we now?

The research presented above supports the concept that colors that are represented at the peak of the visual spectrum, contribute to a lower accident rate for fire apparatus.

Since then, the NFPA has issued several standards revisions for fire apparatus which include updated warning light and audible devices, recommendations based on new and improved technologies, and enhanced utilization of retro-reflective materials.

It is appropriate to ask the question “Does the use of a high-visibility color still have an impact on fire apparatus accident reduction?”

To that end, an analysis was performed starting in 2018 and took into account runs and accidents on a sample of fire departments representing the high visibility colors—lime-green, lime-yellow, and yellow—and departments representing the darker, traditional colors—red, red-white, and red-black—fire vehicles. As in the 1984 study, an emphasis was placed on accumulating a high number of apparatus runs. The focus was for the years 2013 through 2016. Among the differences included in this study was the use of apparatus manufactured to the updated NFPA apparatus standards.

The 12 fire departments that fully completed the survey questionnaires were used in the study, 6 with red engines and 6 with lime-green, lime-yellow, or yellow engines. For the four years over 2,600,000 runs were accumulated. The fire departments are listed in the associated bar graph.

The results compare the accident rates per 100,000 runs. It was found on average than those departments using red on their engines had an accident rate almost double the departments using the lime-green, lime-yellow, or yellow engines. The red accident rate is 47.9 accidents per 100,000 runs and the yellow group accident rate is 24.7 accidents per 100,000 runs.

What does the future hold?

The concept of using high-visibility fire apparatus color to reduce accidents was introduced in the mid-1970s. As fire apparatus were updated and modernized over the years, including improved engineering and technology, one goal was improving safety to the firefighters and the public. The studies of how fire apparatus color impacts accident reduction now spans more than 50 years.

The visibility colors are no strangers to the motoring public and the fire service. Also, to use on emergency vehicles, it is now seen on entire classes of D.O.T highway signage as well as on high-visibility highway safety vests. Firefighters use lime-green and lime-yellow frequently including on structural firefighting garments.

It is reported intersection accidents are among the most severe and represent the largest class of serious apparatus accidents. Enhanced visibility contributes to reducing both the number of intersection accidents and the seriousness of those events.

The fire service is constantly given opportunities for enhanced safety with the expansion of visual research, emergency lights, audible devices, and retro-reflective/fluorescent materials. These improved and even novel approaches do not mean color is less important. The devices and materials that enhance detection are additive and work in concert with color. This is a primary principle of building the safest possible apparatus to reduce or eliminate accidents and injuries.

The bottom line is color plays an important role in the safety and the use of lime-green, lime-yellow, or yellow as a visibility color substantially enhances safe operations. Because of the consistency of the ways the eyes see, the safety effects of color through visibility remain unchanged over time and will continue.