Tips for driving in fog: correct use of lighting and a lot of patience

There is nothing worse than going down the road and finding yourself a dense fog bank. It is normal to suffer nerves since visibility drops to extreme limits and the chances of having an accident increase. It is best not to lose your cool and remember some key points for driving in these weather conditions.

 

The first thing is to make g  ood use of the fog lights, both the rear and the front. In a quick summary, it should be remembered that fog lights do not serve to improve your visibility, if not so that other vehicles are easier to see, although the front ones can help you see something better.

 

Depending on the country where the car is rented, the permits needed may vary.

According to article 106 of the regulations, the use of front fog lamps will be mandatory with dust and smoke in the environment, with fog and snow, and only in heavy rain. The rear ones will be obligatory as long as these previous assumptions can be qualified as “intense”.

 

If you do not use these lights correctly, you can dazzle and make uncomfortable the rest of the drivers who are on the road and cause an accident. Plus, they can fine you, so watch out when you plug them in.

 

Other useful tips

It is best not to lose patience, slow down, and increase the safety distance. Also, avoid overtaking if you are driving on the motorway or highway and always stay in the right lane. Follow the road lines to continue the layout of the road and do not imitate the movements of the car that precedes you, since if you get confused or make a mistake you could have an accident.

 

Almost 7% of accidents occur in foggy situations.

Fog lights: when should I turn them on?

On the other hand, and regarding the use of lights, avoid connecting long ones. Fog usually reflects light and this will dazzle you and will not increase your visibility. It is more recommended to drive with a low beam or low beam. Also, be sure to keep all the windows clean and if they get foggy you can direct the ventilation towards them or open the windows a little. Connects the wipers intermittently to eliminate moisture that can accumulate.

 

Finally, if you see that the conditions to continue your journey are very dangerous, park the car as close as possible to the shoulder and connect the emergency lights (if you cannot stop in a more protected place). Always get out of the car wearing reflective clothing with reflective fabric and never turn off your emergency lights.

 

4 steps that will help you know if you run safely

With the change of season that robs us of sunlight, the season of running starts when the streetlights have already been lit. Although training at night can be relaxing, it also requires a little more caution, not only in wearing reflective clothing with reflective tape to be more visible but also in avoiding being attacked by sexual assailants, as was the case with the athlete Julia Takacs last August.

 

So much so that in Spain a platform has been created that helps to put in contact girls who have in common their hobby of running, but do not want to do it alone. It is known as Synchronized and there are already more than 11,000 registered in this running club. Also, they usually make massive gatherings where thousands of girls from all over the country congregate to run together.

 

But if it is the case that you cannot do it accompanied, the runner and self-defense instructor Julie Barron Morrill has given us four guidelines so as not to become potential victims of an attack while we run and successfully exit the situation.

 

Think of a plan for an awkward situation or attack. “Try to anticipate how you would respond to an assault before it occurs.” Morrill advises going head high and shoulders back: “An attacker will not choose someone self-assured and alert.”

 

If something happens, the first thing to do is run away, Morrill says. “We are out running, so run.” Running away from an awkward situation may seem rude, but Morrill advises leaving manners aside if the situation requires it.

 

If you’ve been cornered and you can’t run away, yell with all your might. Morrill recommends using clear phrases like: “Take off!”. Another option is to say something that doesn’t make sense: your attacker will be puzzled and you’ll save time. Have a phrase ready before you leave.

 

Attacking is the last option, Morrill says. First, avoid being knocked out: bend your knees, put your torso forward, tuck your chin, and protect your face with your arms. If he catches you from behind, hit his face with his elbow. And if you’re in front, a kick to the crotch can be very effective.

Six tips for cycling to work

  1. The most important thing is SAFETY: make yourself visible and always equip yourself with front and rear daytime running lights, a helmet, and fluoride clothing. Ideally, wear a reflective vestand light clothing. It is also important that you check your bike before leaving, do not forget that it is a vehicle that must take you safely to your destination in open traffic. Check the pressure of the wheels, the lights, and make sure that the brakes and gears are well adjusted. If there is a bike path, use it. Signpost your movements; turn left, right, and brake, in advance, use the bell and do not listen to music.

 

  1. EQUIP YOUR BIKE: Depending on what you need to take with you, think about putting on racks to free your back from the extra weight and heat that backpacks entail. In it, you can place one or two saddlebags to carry your clothes, laptop, towel, shoes. If you have little with you, try a basket on the handlebar. There are also other cool accessories like rearview mirrors that let you keep an eye on the traffic behind you without having to turn your neck or lose focus on what’s going on ahead. Finally, equip your bike with a basic tool kit (camera, puncture kit, multi-tool, etc.)

 

  1. The study which is the BEST JOURNEY: try to take safe alternatives such as bike lanes or areas with less traffic. Remember that there are times when the shortest route is not the most recommended. As a general rule, the streets parallel to the main traffic routes offer you the safest way to reach your destination.

 

  1. Take the trip with PEACE OF MIND: if you don’t have showers in your company, the best way to do it is calm, without rushing and without pedaling. You also have the option of getting an electric bicycle that will help you get less fatigued and in less time. You go to work, not a career. Get out early enough and pedal smoothly, don’t overstrain that will make you sweat more than you should. Leave extra clothes, toiletries, a towel, etc. in the office. This way you will have to carry less weight on the bike every day, which will ensure that you are lighter and more stable when riding. You can choose to keep in your office a toilet kit in which you carry: a change of clothes, deodorant, perfume, and any other product.

 

  1. How to PROTECT YOUR BIKE from the friends of others: The ideal situation would be for you to get your company to enable a locked room so that you and your colleagues could leave your bikes. If this is not possible, there are three things you can do to avoid thieves. Park your bike in a place that is visible to you and well lit. Use at least one, and preferably two, padlocks. Although the best ones are not especially cheap, they will better protect your precious bike. Remove vulnerable items from your bike like lights, accessory bags, bell.

 

  1. Finally, what is the BEST CLOTHING to make the commute to work by bike: While cycling clothes are usually very close to the body to prevent the wind from slowing down our progress, in this case, it is the opposite. Both the upright posture and looser clothes play in our favor. You can wear a breathable shirt that fits the body and prevents sweat from entering your clean clothes. It is also recommended to wear reflective elements or fluorine colors.

Tips for running in the dark of night

After the summer, the hours of daylight get shorter and shorter, it disappears in the middle of the afternoon and it gets dark very early, but most of us have no choice but to go out to train at those hours, whether, for work, studies or simply because we want more than getting up early, and what we find are dark streets. So in this post we are going to see a few tips to run at night and be safer in the dark.

 

It has a light. This is essential if what we want is to illuminate the streets where we run. A frontal would be the most appropriate if we are going to run through areas with no light and highly recommended if it is in the mountains (the Run Light is perfect). But we must not forget that lighting is not only for us to see, but also for other vehicles to see us, so it is highly recommended to carry some safety light, both in front and behind. Currently they sell many devices of this type, even in the form of an armband or anklets with LED lights that do not disturb anything on the go.

Reflective clothing. Another tip for night running is to make sure you wear clothes that have reflective fabric, it is not a matter of going out to run at 10 at night in mourning. Most sports clothing, sneakers, and running accessories have a reflective strip, but if you think that it is not enough you can choose to buy some attractive armband or even adapt pieces of, for example, a typical reflective car vest, to your equipment.

Always run facing traffic. This is very important and should not be forgotten. If we run through areas without sidewalks and with traffic, we must always go along the shoulder where we see the vehicles coming from the front, so we can have a minimum reaction margin if we see that something can happen and we will not be startled if large motorcycles or vehicles pass.

Bring a phone. No one knows the unforeseen things you can have in the middle of the night, so carrying a phone can get us out of an emergency. Luckily, thanks to the rise of sports applications for smartphones, many people wear the phone with bracelets and could use it if they needed to.

 

Tips for night running, safety first

Bring identification. Nobody thinks of having an accident while running, but better be prepared, so it costs nothing to carry identification with our data or even buy us a bracelet like the ones from Safesport ID, which can be personalized with contact phones, illnesses, allergies, etc. You can find them on their website from € 16.95. In our case, we have analyzed in depth the Codylife Sport, very to take into account.

He wears a cap. Although it may seem silly, if you are used to training in areas where there is traffic, you may want to try wearing a cap for those moments when the lights of the cars coming from the front blind us and it would only be enough to lower the visor to avoid it.

Leave the music at home. Carrying music helps us distract ourselves during training, motivates us, and gives us the feeling that time passes faster. This is great, but at night we need to be more attentive to everything that happens around us and since our eyesight is impaired by the lack of light, it is advisable to at least have a good ear and leave our brand new headphones to run at home.

As you can see, they are simple tips, many of common sense, but they can make our night outings more comfortable and, above all, safer. What are your tricks when you go out without the Sun to burn shoes?

 

National Police begins a campaign to use reflective vest at night

The observatory of road accidents of the Directorate of Traffic and Transport of the Police carried out a study where it was determined that 45% of deaths in road accidents in Colom.

 

National Police begins a campaign to use reflective at night

The observatory of road accidents of the Directorate of Traffic and Transport of the Police carried out a study where it was determined that 45% of deaths in road accidents in Colombia occur at night, this data already records at least 2,054 deaths, which expresses the need to understand that “the greater the visibility, the greater the possibilities of avoiding a loss”. Cyclists who do not wear vests or drivers who do not use turn signals are the main protagonists of car accidents caused in the night hours. For this reason, it is necessary for road actors to be aware of visual limitations at night and to adopt these simple habits that will prevent accidents, such as the use of retro-reflective clothing. The lack of culture and road safety has caused a high number of fatalities on the roads and there are already more than 2,000 deaths in low-light places, says General William Salamanca, director of the Traffic Police. It is important to clarify that the use of the reflective vest is not mandatory in Colombia, even so, if it is the use of some reflective garment at night, more exactly in the period between 6 p.m. and 6 am As pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are the most vulnerable actors on the road, this phenomenon also affects cargo vehicles, which is why the Ministry of Transportation issued resolution 3246 of August 3, 2018, using which the use of retro-reflective tapes was regulated in bus-type vehicles (open, Chiva to the ladder and closed), bus, minibus, truck, van (panel, van, stakes, and van), tractor-truck (tractor truck), dump trucks, etc. as in trailers and semi-trailers with a gross vehicle weight of more than 0.75 tons. In this way, the National Police seeks, with the ‘Make Yourself Visible’ campaign, that road actors become aware of the importance of using reflectors at night, which becomes a preventive tool on the road that will help avoid accidents and pay fines.

Use of reflective tapes will be mandatory from September

The Ministry of Transportation issued the resolution that regulates the installation and use of retro-reflective tapes in cargo and passenger vehicles that circulate on the roads of the national territory, to increase visibility and reduce the probability of road accidents.

 

The Transport portfolio indicated that the tapes will be mandatory for vehicles traveling on public or private roads, and also the colors established for the retro-reflective tapes are only red and white.

 

Both public service and private motor vehicles intended for the transport of passengers, with a capacity of more than 9 passengers including the driver, that transit through the suburban, rural national routes, must have the tapes installed no later than January 4.

 

The deadlines for controls to start were established in three groups, the first expires on September 4, 2019; In this are cargo transport vehicles with a weight greater than 0.75 tons, as well as agricultural, industrial and self-propelled construction machinery that travels on public roads.

 

The last term expires on May 4 and applies to mixed transport vehicles, with a capacity of more than 9 passengers including the driver, that transit on public or private roads.

 

The resolution establishes that for public and private vehicles, destined for the transportation of passengers that circulate exclusively on the roads of the municipal urban perimeter, the installation and use of retro-reflective tapes will not be compulsory; This measure can be accepted voluntarily.

 

The document states that vehicles must install a white tape on the front, the white and red tapes must be located on the side and red tape must be placed on the back. Drivers who do not adopt these measures will be sanctioned by the corresponding authorities.

 

Traffic Authorities place reflectors on trucks to avoid accidents at night and rain

Freight transport causes traffic accidents for various reasons, one of these is the lack of lighting, so personnel from the Traffic Department of the National Civil Police (PNC) place reflective tapes on trailers and trucks, to make them more visible, especially at night and when it rains.

 

Delegates from the Traffic Department indicated that the reflective tapes are given to drivers as part of the Winter Road Safety 2019 campaign, which aims to reduce road mishaps.

 

They also mentioned that many of those vehicles are stranded due to mechanical damage or are parked in the middle of the lanes without any type of lighting, which has caused accidents, so they also make a call to conscience to the pilots to place reflective cones. and keep emergency lights in good condition.

 

According to statistics from the Traffic Department, trucks and trailers are responsible for 5.1 percent of accidents across the country. 39 percent of mishaps are caused by motorcyclists and the rest by drivers of different types of vehicles.

 

Prevention

Recently, the Traffic Department began training for pilots of private companies, since, according to authorities, many drivers are unaware of the rules for driving and therefore commit fouls.

 

Bad conditions

Rony Mendoza, president of the Heavy Transport Union, considers that the conditions in which truck and trailer drivers work are deplorable and that there is an unfair competition that does not allow those who work on their own to have better labor guarantees.

 

“If someone is offered a freight for Q3 thousand, there is never a shortage that arrives and offers Q2 thousand. That is unfair,” he lamented.

 

Mendoza said that the problem is that many drivers start driving from 1 in the morning and do not have adequate places to rest or eat food.

 

Also read: Rain causes damage in four departments in the south-west of the country

 

Pilot testimonials

Mechanical failures and fatigue of the head drivers are factors that affect the tragedies.

 

Rigoberto López, the trailer pilot, said: “They are machines, and at any moment they fail. This work is tiring. Time restrictions affect us. We drive all night to get through the city. Sometimes it makes me sleepy, like every human being”.

 

Alejandro Ramírez, the trailer pilot, stated: “There is also recklessness on the part of many drivers. You should drive to 80, and if urged at 85. After that there is a danger that the brakes will not respond. Some go up to 120 kilometers per hour, at night”.

 

According to authorities, there are several reasons why trailer and truck accidents occur.

WILL THERE BE REFLECTIVE TAPES FOR MOTORCYCLES AND BICYCLES?

In recent days, the United States Embassy and the specialist firm 3M held a forum on “Perspectives and Trends in Road Safety” at the end of which the need to reduce accidents and deaths on the roads, mainly from motorcyclists and bicyclists, was evident, and in which work will begin on the protection of the latter thanks to the use of retro-reflective or simply reflective tapes, as they are known.

 

Posted by Dacia 1300 New York on Sunday, April 12, 2020

The figures to start working on a future regulation for the use of these elements were released during the forum:

 

As of May, road deaths in Colombia totaled 1,366, most of them were motorcyclists or cyclists.

 

Motorcyclists have put 48% of road deaths in the past 4 years. And the figure instead of falling is increasing, because in the first seven months of the year the death toll reached 1,000.

 

According to IDB figures, traffic accidents mainly affect people with less income. And the magnitude of this problem is so great that it is estimated that in Latin America 120,000 people die each year and 5 million are injured.

 

Retro-reflective tapes for motorcycles and bicycles

Under this scenario, 3M highlighted its commitment to strengthening road safety from its technical expertise through the development and innovation of products aimed at improving road infrastructure and visibility on roads, mainly motorcycles and bicycles.

 

And it is that according to Víctor Cabrera, Business Manager for Latin America of the Transportation Security Division of 3M, the use of this type of tapes has significantly reduced accidents in countries where their use has become mandatory.

 

Globally, the implementation of contour marking with retro-reflective tapes increases the perception distance at night by up to 100%.

 

In the United States, speaking of freight transport using these tapes, the reduction in accidents at night fell by 21% between 1962 and 2012. In Italy, the rule was implemented in 2005, and five years later, accidents in the night decreased 36 percent.

In China, these figures fell by 43% for 2017, and thus, the global average of deaths from traffic accidents at night in the countries where these perimeter tapes began to be used in trucks and other vehicles had reductions that are in a range between 22 and 43%.

 

With this evidence, conversations are being held with the country’s authorities so that the most vulnerable road actors have greater visibility at night, as a form of protection.

 

And it is that the new materials that 3M develops in terms of retro-reflectivity, were pioneers in these elements in 1940, have advanced to the point that it has different types of light intensity that these tapes offer so that regardless of the climatic conditions, those of the road, or the speed of movement, both motorcyclists and bicyclists can be seen in traffic and that the ‘information’ that returns to drivers is clearer.

 

Thus the idea is that both helmets, vests, the bodywork, the wheels of motorcycles and bicycles and even the plate, in the case of motorcycles, make use of the new reflective materials that give them greater perimeter and rear visibility to avoid accidents by the scope and at the intersections that are the most critical points for these road actors.

 

And it is that although it is still in talks with the authorities to implement these elements in the future, the figures provided by the specialists are dramatic due to the reality in which they expose the state of the roads in the country in which the different corridors share actors:

 

  1. 80% of the roads in Colombia are not prepared for coexistence with pedestrians.

 

  1. 85% of the tracks are not prepared for coexistence with motorcycles

 

  1. 90% of the routes are not prepared to coexist with bicycles and pedicabs.

 

FACT

The American firm 3M, which has products developed for different branches of the industry, and has a division specialized in the automotive segment, mainly in paints and security, as they have specialized in the development of traffic signs, reflective paving tapes, brands reflective for vehicles, safety films for automotive windows and registration plates.

 

World Day for Safety at Work: accident prevention

Every April 28, the International Day of Safety and Health at Work is celebrated. The date, promoted by the International Labor Organization (ILO), aims to raise awareness about the importance of companies safeguarding the well-being of their employees and implementing effective safety measures.

 

According to the 2018 Statistical Memory of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) research, an average of 527,802 work accidents occurs in the country per year (with data from 2008 to 2018). Of this number, the construction, department stores, food, and ground transportation sectors top the list with the most misfortunes, respectively.

 

The prevention of accidents in work environments is vital and fundamental to maintain a safe work environment that protects the most valuable asset of companies: the workforce. Having a hazard-free environment contributes to the significant reduction of accidents that can lead to injuries or even deaths. Reducing these mishaps helps prevent work absenteeism and the irremediable temporary hiring of employees.

 

In this context, all sectors have different levels of risk and challenges in this area. Some actions that can make a difference are developing safety models in the work area such as signs, delimitation of areas, use of machinery, and use of clothing that are appropriate to your operations and facilities. That the corresponding safety area evaluates these risks and determines the protection conditions for each area, as well as the correct use of these measures, can make the difference in the reduction of accidents.

 

The constant use of machinery and the exposure of personnel to the outside, such as on oil platforms or mines, as well as the manipulation of elements such as cables and dangerous tools, creates the need for adequate clothing and clothing that offers comfort and protection in certain circumstances. An example of this is reflective clothing, which contributes to employee safety in low-light settings.

 

An example of this is the construction sector that requires appropriate clothing and clothing for the installation of cables and pipes on the site for the prevention of mishaps. The characteristics of the materials with which Dickies garments are made (such as thick fabrics and reinforced seams) are designed to facilitate mobility and protect workers from hostile environments.

 

Dickies is a benchmark for workplace safety. The design of its products has properties that adjust to the needs of personal protection in different sectors. An example of this is Dickies’ W487 overalls with reflective tapes for low-light environments or Walls FR 395 denim pants that are fire retardant, allowing you to go out in the event of a sudden fire or arc flash.

 

The constant implementation of prevention campaigns in which safety measures or initiatives are reported generates more confidence among workers. This is because this generates certain tranquility in the work environment knowing that the company cares about them and their safety. Therefore, a worker is more likely to be loyal if he feels that the company he works for prioritizes his integrity.

Car accessories required for safety: which ones are recommended

When it comes to cars and especially driving, one of the main rules concerns the safety of both the driver and the passenger but above all also other vehicles and pedestrians.

 

The law, to enforce this fundamental factor, provides for the obligation to own a series of useful accessories in your vehicle.

 

Among these are:

 

The triangle,

The safety vests,

The snow chains,

The seat if you have children.

In addition to these accessories, the first aid kit, torches, battery cables, fire extinguishers can be useful, even if they are not mandatory.

 

In our site, you can find all these elements, so that your machine is safe and far from any danger.

 

Mandatory accessories

Among the mandatory accessories to bring in the car to ensure safety, there are first of all the triangle and the reflective jacket.

 

It is the Highway Code that underlines that the presence of these elements on board is fundamental and those who do not have them also risk obtaining a penalty.

 

As for the first, it is a red object to be placed outside the car in case there has been a rear-end collision or the car has stopped at a very dangerous point. it is about 40-50 cm tall and is made of fluorescent material, plastic, or metal.

 

The reflective jacket with reflective fabric is also very visible, which must be worn to signal your presence outside the car, and when there is little visibility.

 

Also important are the snow chains, which are no longer only recommended, but also mandatory to be kept in the car, from November 15th of each year until April 15th of the following year.

 

Alternatively, if the car has snow tires during this period, the chains may not even be present on board, if there are no roads where there will be snow.

 

If you have children on board, the seat must never be missing, very important for the safety of your child, who must be compliant and always present in the car. In addition to these accessories, there are some recommended ones.

 

Recommended accessories

As previously stated, it can be very useful to have a first aid kit in the car, but also torches, battery cables, fire extinguishers.

 

Among all, the cables will be of fundamental importance also because if the battery of your car turns off suddenly, the car will no longer turn on, and the cables can be a quick solution to adopt.

 

As for fire extinguishers, first of all, it is good to specify that there are various types, and those suitable for cars can be carbon dioxide.

 

Of course, there are many elements to think about to keep your car safe, also because the dangerous situations can be different and it is right to try to prevent them all.

 

In addition to this, you must never forget to omit the mandatory accessories in the vehicle, or you risk even heavy penalties, as well as the most serious thing: risking healthy.