Category: reflective tape

Klaus Torno, the traffic safety advisor at the district police authority, draws attention to the need to equip yourself with reflectors and light-colored clothing in road traffic during the darker months of the year. This is the only way to be seen by other road users.

 

Or, as happened on the evening of November 18 in Ahlsen-Reinberg, it can have dire consequences. At that time there was a head-on collision between two cars on Ahlsener Straße after an Audi driver avoided a jogger running on the right side of the road and ran into oncoming traffic. The recreational athlete did not wear reflectors on his clothing. “We are not aware of any other accidents this autumn/winter season that can be traced back to a lack of visibility. That is gratifying and we want to hope that it stays that way,” said district police spokesman Ralf Steinmeyer in an interview with this newspaper.

 

He noted that citizens are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers, especially in the dark season, and that the streetscape is increasingly characterized by people who, for example, wear safety vests and are equipped with reflective tape material. According to his subjective perception, this was still different five or six years ago. The corresponding policy campaigns fall on fertile ground, although, as can be seen in the accident in Ahlsen, the common sense of the weaker road users cannot be appealed to often enough. Especially since this autumn/winter, due to the corona, the actions under the motto “Visibility brings safety” by the police in the municipalities in Altkreis had to be canceled.

 

Road safety advisor and police chief inspector Klaus Torno have been on the road for the campaign since 2013. “The reason for the start was a series of accidents that year that resulted in the death of seven pedestrians in six weeks.” Also in his perception, “a lot has happened”. Whether old or young, many can be seen in traffic in the dark with safety vests.

 

“Make yourself visible,” says Torno. And that doesn’t just apply to what is worn on the body. “Rollators, umbrellas, we’ve put stickers on everything.” The campaign was very well received every year. Joggers can use special vests that are more breathable than conventional ones. “You don’t sweat under it while running.” The diverse range also includes throws. However, attention must be paid to additional reflectors.

 

“It is important to be recognizable from afar from all sides. If you stand to the side of the street, something should light up there too,” advises the expert. The safety vest also has to be increased. On the standard version, there would only be two reflective chest rings. For pedestrians and especially children with their small body size, however, it is crucial to trace the body contours that are reflected as a light reflex for the driver or cyclist. This can be achieved with reflector click tapes, which should also be used. Just click around your arm and leg and be seen better immediately. “This is also called the ‘body language concept’,” says Klaus Torno.

 

The traffic safety advisor regrets that the ADAC has stopped distributing safety vests free of charge to all school beginners for reasons of cost. “That was a great part.” He recommends parents not buy the cheapest version of the vest for their children, but rather focus on quality.

 

The expert also has tips ready for the older generation. A rollator can be equipped with lighting set in addition to the reflective material. “This directs the driver’s attention very well and at an early stage to the respective person.” Seniors, in particular, have an immensely high risk of injury, accidents usually have worse effects and the injured elderly person’s regeneration is much slower. Of course, it is also important for cyclists to be seen, but also to recognize passers-by in good time. Some older bicycle models only have a “sparkle” instead of a reasonable lamp, which then reacts worse to the reflectors.

 

Klaus Torno remembers two fatal accidents in 2013, one in Bad Oeynhausen, the other in Hille. While in one case a passer-by was fatally carried by a shopping trolley that was hit by a car and carried her away, in the other case it was a woman who simply put her garbage can (“This can also be made recognizable”) on the street wanted to bring. That brief moment was enough to be overlooked.

What the Highway Code says when you travel in town or on a road at night (or even during the day if visibility is insufficient: fog, tunnel), your bike must have equipment that makes it visible to other users. This is an obligation provided for by the Highway Code (R313 – paragraphs 4,5,18,19 and 20). It is made up of several elements:

 

a white or yellow front headlight

a red taillight

a front reflector (reflector) white or yellow

a red rear reflector

reflectors visible from the side (reflectors attached to the spokes of the wheels or tires with reflective sidewalls)

pedal reflectors

And if you have attached a trailer to your bicycle, it must also be fitted with a reflector, or even a reflector on each side if its width exceeds 1.30 m.

The system can also be removable to meet the specific needs of sports cyclists or mountain bikers.

 

A priority for your safety because beyond the respect of the Highway Code, the essential objective remains this one: to ensure the safety of the cyclist.

 

By bike, seeing and being seen is vital. However, too many users underestimate the importance of lighting.

 

Thus, according to a survey carried out by the public authorities in 2008, 15% of those surveyed considered it unnecessary to light their bicycles at night when public lighting is present. And 20% say they do not use it for the simple reason that it is not in working order.

 

The regulations provide that all bicycles offered for sale must be fitted with a complete lighting device, fixed or removable. It is even explicitly said that any failure in this area constitutes an offense.

 

A bicycle with bad lighting, too dim, is only seen at the last moment, sometimes too late…

 

The Federation of Road Users (FUB) has expressed its wish to see the lighting regulations evolve to offer better safety to cyclists, it has proposed several changes:

 

A system of flashing lights at the rear, more visible than a simple fixed red light (authorized in Great Britain but prohibited in France)

 

Headlamps or rear lamps attached to a helmet (admitted in Belgium as alternatives to lights on the bicycle but not in France)

 

A “position light” function at the rear to maintain the visibility of a stationary bicycle (compulsory in Germany, whereas in France this is only an option, not even a recommendation)

 

Tire blanks fitted with a reflective strip (not yet compulsory in France).

 

Any cyclist who travels at night outside a built-up area is required to wear a so-called “high visibility” retro-reflective vest with reflective tape. This equipment, which can be supplemented if necessary by retro-reflective accessories – ankle straps, cycling shoes with reflective heels – is however considered restrictive by the FUB which would prefer that the bike be over-equipped rather than the cyclist.

 

The FUB, for its part, recommends providing as many elements as possible with retro-reflective surfaces: tires, frame, mudguards, bags, spokes, etc. With the advantage that these elements remain permanently and are less likely to disappear under a rain cape or other blackout object.

 

Good to know: the fact for a cyclist to contravene the provisions of article R313 concerning lighting can be punished with a fine provided for first-class fines.

The introduction of mandatory reflective elements for pedestrians who move on the roads outside the village at night was intended to save a considerable number of lives. Unfortunately, the reality is that 2018, which was the first year the law came into force, was the second-worst since 2012 and there were 3,532 pedestrian collisions.

 

What is a reflective element for?

Fortunately, the statistics of pedestrian deaths are not as dramatic as they might seem from the number of collisions between vehicles and them. Deaths occur in 3.2% of cases. This number is declining in the long run, which is mainly because manufacturers build their cars so that possible injuries to pedestrians are as small as possible and their chances of survival are as high as possible.

 

To be seen

For pedestrians moving on the road, it is most important that it is easy to see even at a greater distance. The figure in black clothes can be seen by the driver of the car at about 20 meters, but also calmly when he passes it. On the other hand, a pedestrian with a reflector can be seen from 200 meters, which is enough distance for the driver to safely avoid it. In this respect, a reflective vest is probably the best option, but virtually any element that reflects light to the source can be considered sufficient. There are various stickers, reflective tapes, key rings … There is simply a lot and the good news is that the reflective element that fills the letter of the law can be purchased in just a few tens of crowns.

 

Who can’t see will pay!

If the police  “catch” you without any reflective element placed visibly on the body, they can reprimand you, but you can also pay up to 2,000 crowns on the spot, or 1,500 to 2,500 crowns in administrative proceedings. If you are accidentally hit by a car unmarked in this way, there is a high probability that the finger of the police officer investigating the accident will point to you as the culprit.

 

Does the law make sense?

Returning to the first paragraph, where we wrote that statistically, the new obligation for pedestrians did not manifest itself in any way, the obvious question is whether this law makes sense. In this regard, it is necessary to follow a long period, at least say about 3-5 years. Only then can it be assessed whether the obligation to wear reflective elements has contributed to something. A fairly large percentage of pedestrians wore them before the introduction of this obligation, some even in combination with a small flashing light or a lit phone in their hand. This is an ideal combination of letting other traffic participants know about themselves in time.

In the darker months of the year, children must be visible in traffic. Rain or fog create additional dangers on the roads. With these tips, your children are safe on the move in autumn and winter.

Children are particularly at risk in the autumn and winter months: because at Schleich when they are on the road in the morning on their way to school.

A dark-clad pedestrian can only be recognized by a driver from a distance of around 25 meters in poor visibility. For comparison: the stopping distance of a car in an emergency braking from 50 km / h is about 28 meters – too long to come to a stop in time in an emergency in front of an endangered road user.

However, if a pedestrian wears clothing with reflective tapes, visibility improves up to 140 meters.

When buying reflective material, pay attention to the norm

If you are out and about in the dark, you should wear shoes and jackets with integrated reflective material. A safety vest is worn over clothing also increases

visibility significantly. The material must meet the EN ISO 20471 or EN 1150 standards. There are also reflectors for sewing and gluing. When buying a school satchel, parents should make sure that it complies with the DIN 58124 standard.

If you cycle to work or school, you should also check the lights on the bike and attach the required reflectors. You can find more information about roadworthy bicycles here.

Mutual consideration

Drivers can also help improve road safety by adapting their driving style to visibility and driving more slowly. Visibility can also be significantly improved with clean windscreens and headlights as well as functional wiper blades.

Tips from the ADAC Foundation for a safe journey to school

In addition to the reflectors on clothing, school bags, and bicycles, for example, walking bus groups are a good way for school children to get to school safely. A group of up to 12 children, accompanied by one or two adults, walk to school together in the morning. Further information from the ADAC Foundation on the Laufbus is available here.

They are headlamps, luminous vests, leggings, jackets, and other accessories that incorporate high visibility reflective strips and inserts allowing runners to be noticed even in the dark, in the fog, when the weather conditions are more adverse.

 

Sometimes it doesn’t take much to get noticed. A stylish detail, a small detail. Sometimes a reflective insert is enough, which incorporated into a running jacket, leggings or pouch can greatly improve the visibility of those who run in the dark, in the fog, in adverse weather conditions.

 

A light source is enough – such as the headlights of a car, a motorcycle, a bicycle – to “turn on” the special strip in reflect material and make it stand out in the dark, thus allowing the driver of the vehicle to perceive and recognize the presence of a runner even at a distance.

 

Along with reflective running clothing, there are other specific accessories for those who find themselves running on even darker and darker paths: they are headlamps (essential equipment for those who do trail running), vests equipped with neon lights, and lights directional to illuminate the path.

 

Wearing reflective running clothing and using luminous accessories when visibility conditions are particularly poor is not just a gesture of love for your life. It is also a gesture of altruism and respect for all those who, accidentally and simply out of distraction, may not notice – or realize too late – the presence of a runner on the road or who suddenly appears from the darkness or fog.

 

Getting noticed and making yourself as evident as possible is a duty of every serious and conscious runner, which is why we have selected a series of reflective – and intelligent – garments and accessories that are essential to illuminate your runs and allow you to play sports safely.

Surely you know that when you buy a car, you have not quite won yet. To drive safely and be prepared for any problems you may encounter, you also need a few other things, whether in the car itself or home in the garage. What accessories are they and how much will they cost you?

Storage, maintenance, and safe and comfortable driving

We could divide the needs of drivers into several groups. The first of these are the ones that are important for your safe and trouble-free driving. This mainly includes mandatory equipment, like a spare wheel, a set for its replacement, a warning triangle, a first aid kit, and a reflective vest with reflective tape.

If any of these items are missing from your car, you should purchase them immediately. Not only would you not have everything you need to secure your car and possibly injured people in the event of an accident, but you would be fined for a police check.

As for the mentioned vest, it is definitely worth having at least two pieces in the car, one for the driver and the other for the passenger. It can be assumed that when you need an emergency stop, it will not wait for you all the time in the car. As you can see in the table below, where we compare the prices of various car accessories, it will cost you a few crowns, whether you buy it in action or not.

In addition to the basic needs included in the mandatory equipment, it also pays to carry a tow rope. All you have to do is forget to turn off the lights or just close the door incorrectly and the battery will be completely discharged in a few hours. How do you start then? Probably hard on their own, so someone will have to stretch you to get your engine off. And without a tow rope, it would be really hard for you. Again, this is not an expensive affair that can pull you out of a real mess.

If your battery does not have time to charge on the way home or runs out overnight when you park in the garage or front of the house, you will also need a car battery charger. Of course, you don’t have to take it with you, just store it somewhere in a closet at home, and when needed, just remove the car battery and let it charge at home. Here, it is worth watching the event, as the table above shows, you can save several hundred thanks to them.

You can then use them, for example, to ensure comfort in the car as well. This brings us to the second group of car equipment, which are things that make driving more enjoyable. It can be, for example, the mentioned phone stand, with which you will be able to use the navigation or play music much better. If you suffer from cleaning, you can’t do without a hand-held vacuum cleaner in the car, with which you can vacuum all the crumbs in a few seconds.

The last group of things worth thinking about is the ones that make it easier for you to store all the things you need as a car owner but don’t use them all the time. By this, we mean not only the case where you store the washer fluid, the rest of the engine oil, the preparations for the treatment of the dashboard, or the broom and scraper for ice and snow. But also a tire stand – winter or summer tires still need their place, while they wait half a year for you to put them on again.

Don’t forget your pets either!

If you have a pet and you are carrying it in your car, you have to think of a few other things. In this case, you will also need a seat belt for your four-legged friend and also a blanket to protect your upholstery. The best are special animal blankets, which have a waterproof layer on the underside – this is exactly what Kaufland offers a leaflet for a special price, along with other handy things for dogs and cats.

For a variety of reasons, students should make the way to school on foot (or by bus) and not be driven to the school door in the parents’ taxi. However, due to their height, children are often not so easily perceived by other road users. It is therefore very important that the little ones, in addition to different behaviors, can be easily recognized by others through good visibility.

This good visibility can be enhanced by bright clothing and reflective elements on the satchel. But also by wearing a safety vest. Until recently there was a large association distributing safety vests with reflective tapes to first graders across the board. This action has always met with great approval from parents and also acceptance of the child’s carrying behavior.

For this reason, the Verden district decided to procure these safety vests for first graders in the future. “I am delighted that we can support such a meaningful campaign financially and that we are investing effectively in the safety of the children!” says Christian Groth, Head of the Order and Traffic Service. The vests were distributed by police officers from the Verden / Osterholz police station as part of a Corona-compliant visit to the schoolyard.

In this context, the advantages of walking were discussed again: “You get fresh air!”, “You move before school!”, “You protect the environment!” and “You can chat with your friends!” – it all came from the children themselves! That as a pedestrian you have to make sure that other road users can see you, especially in the darker months of the year – that too was a matter of course for many children! “We would like to ask parents to help their children wear the vests!” explains Anika Wrede, traffic safety advisor for the Verden police.”

Among other things, children learn from role models and are dependent on adults practicing correct behavior in traffic with them and setting an example.” “Matze – the zebra” is shown on the back of the vests. Matze was chosen because it is a nationwide symbol of back to school. “Matze would like to accompany you on your way and always be there when you are out in the twilight or the dark!”

By now, on the streets and sidewalks of Italian cities, it is an image we are getting used to. Electric scooters whiz at speeds well above those declared by the manufacturers. A speech that, in part, also applies to electric bicycles, to which it is enough to unlock the electronic control unit to obtain extensions worthy of a petrol scooter, with maximum peaks much greater than the 30 km / h permitted by law. Most of the people who use these vehicles, who do not have a license plate but achieve performance comparable (if not superior) to those of microcars and mopeds, do not even wear a helmet to move around the city. Not to mention those who, on the scooter, host a passenger.

 

But does the law allow it? And under what circumstances are fines triggered? Today’s edition of Il Fatto Quotidiano tries to clarify the question in response to a letter sent by a reader. Which takes stock of the rules governing the use of scooters and e-bikes. Since March, the newspaper explains, the new rules governing the circulation of electric scooters, which have been equated to bicycles, have come into force. The rules state that scooters can only circulate on urban roads where it is not allowed to exceed 50 km / h per hour.

 

Scooters can also circulate on cycle paths parallel to extra-urban roads, but with speed limits: they must not exceed 25 km / h when traveling on the carriageway and 6 km / h in pedestrian areas. Driving is only allowed for ages 14 and up and the helmet is mandatory only for underage drivers. Those who drive must have free use of their arms and hold the handlebars with both hands. From sunset, it is mandatory to wear a reflective jacket with reflective tape. Moving on to the ecological impact of scooters, a note on the recycling of batteries, a problem that affects all electrically powered vehicles powered by lithium-ion accumulators. The battery is recyclable, but only if it is disposed of properly. Finally, to limit the risk of accidents, maximum attention is needed from drivers and strict controls by the traffic police, which can issue very high fines.

 

The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) starts this week by launching until next Sunday, January 26, a new surveillance campaign on the conditions of the vehicles that circulate on our roads, paying special attention to the proper maintenance and tuning of all the safety elements of the vehicle, such as tires, brakes, lights, signaling, windshields, ITV … The DGT advises drivers that “investing in vehicle maintenance is investing in safety”.

 

DGT campaign.

The DGT itself explains in its statement that “during this week, the agents of the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard and the rest of the local and autonomous policemen who join the campaign will pay special attention to the proper maintenance and tuning of all the vehicle’s safety elements: tires, brakes, lights, signaling, undamaged windshields…. To the vigilance carried out by the agents, the DGT will use the control and monitoring systems it has installed on the road (license plate readers) to check whether the vehicles that circulate go with the ITV in force. In case of detecting that a vehicle does not have it in force, the corresponding complaint will be made”.

 

With this new campaign to control vehicle conditions, the DGT acknowledges that it is “very concerned” about the age of the Spanish vehicle fleet, arguing that “the risk of dying or being seriously injured is multiplied by two when comparing accidents that have occurred with vehicles from 10 to 15 years old, about vehicles less than 5 years old”, hence I advise drivers that “the proper maintenance of all the vehicle’s safety elements becomes an essential activity to combat the accident rate. Investing in vehicle maintenance is investing in safety”.

 

Tires.- DGT: “More than a million vehicles drive with serious wheel defects”

At the wheel of this, the DGT stresses that “tires are the only and decisive contact with the road. They are responsible for ensuring adherence in pushing, braking, and lateral sliding. They also ensure that the direction of travel of the vehicle is as desired by the user and the cushioning of pavement imperfections. It is recommended that the depth of the grooves be at least 3 millimeters. The legal limit is 1.6 millimeters.”

 

The DGT warns that “approximately more than a million of the vehicles, 5%, circulate with serious defects in the wheels, mainly due to having a tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6 mm; have uneven wear due to poor suspension or misalignment and ride with wrong pressure. “Also, vehicles related to more professional use, such as vans, have higher rates of tire defects.”

 

Likewise, the DGT advises that “it is also necessary to regularly check the pressure of the cold tire and the spare wheel, as well as check for possible air leaks through the valves. The cap of the same constitutes a sealing element, the reason why its use is essential”.

Lighting and signaling

The DGT also recalls in its statement that “the purpose of vehicle lights is not only to see but also to be seen, since each vehicle in circulation is, in practice, an obstacle to others, for what the delimitation of its presence is also significant.

 

For driving to be carried out safely, it is advisable to pay special attention to the use, maintenance and regulation of the headlights, so that, on the one hand, they have sufficient light and, on the other, they do not dazzle whoever is driving the same public roads.

 

There are some basic tips to keep in mind:

 

The lamps reduce their intensity with use, so they must be changed every 40,000 km. or 2 years.

The lamps must be changed two by two because their use is symmetrical in most cases.

It is necessary to always keep the optics clean: headlights and lights

The compulsory use of lighting is included in article 43 of the Traffic and Road Safety Law:

 

1. Vehicles that circulate between sunset and sunrise, or at any time of the day in tunnels, underpasses, and sections of track affected by the “tunnel” signal, must have the corresponding lighting on.

 

2. They must also have the lighting on for the rest of the day

 

1. a) The motorcycles that circulate in any way object to this law.

 

1. b) All vehicles circulating in a reversible lane or the opposite direction to that normally used on the road where it is located, either a lane that is exclusively reserved for it or exceptionally open in this direction.

 

3. It is also mandatory to use the lighting that is established by the regulation when there are meteorological or environmental conditions that significantly reduce visibility, such as in the case of fog, heavy rain, snowfall, clouds of smoke or dust, or any other similar circumstance.

 

4. Bicycles, also, will be equipped with reflective tapes that, duly homologated, are determined in the General Vehicle Regulations. When the use of lighting is compulsory, bicycle riders will also wear a reflective garment if they are traveling on the interurban highway.

 

DGT: other aspects to control

In addition to the lights and tires, the DGT also warns that during this campaign it will also be controlled:

 

The registration plate: The driver must verify that the vehicle’s registration plates do not present obstacles that prevent or hinder their reading and identification, are not damaged or tampered with. Carrying the registration illegible is a serious offense with a sanction of 200 euros and no deduction of points, but manipulating the license plate to fraudulently try to avoid the rule can lead to a fine of 6,000 euros and the loss of 6 points.

Windshield: The driver must verify that the windshield does not show any damage, since it is a fundamental part of the structural resistance of the vehicle, in the effectiveness of the airbag and in being the support for cameras and sensors for driving aid devices.

The documentation of the vehicle that must be carried compulsorily, in addition to the required driving license is:

Vehicle circulation permit containing its technical data and its owner’s details (or authorization from the Traffic Headquarters in his absence)