Tag: reflective material

When should you give them priority?

In recent years, more and more people are switching to a bicycle, and unfortunately, not all participants of the movement are familiar with the rules – this applies to both cyclists and drivers.

Some cyclists can be accused of keeping a lot on the road. Adult people do not have to take any kind of exam to move their bike on the streets, but it is their duty to comply with traffic regulations. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. On the other hand, it happens that drivers expose cyclists to danger, especially when they do not give them the right priority.Cyclists can put reflective materials on their bicycles

When do you need to give way?

Road traffic regulations state that the driver is obliged to give way to the cyclist always when “the driver turns into a crossroads (both right and left) and the cyclist goes straight ahead on the road, bike lane, bike path or another part of the road that the driver intends to leave. ”

 

Look for eye contact

When we plan to turn into a crossroad, at the same time crossing the potential path of bikes (eg lanes for bicycles), we should look long before the turn to look in the mirrors and far to the front to locate cyclists coming from both sides. It is also important to clearly signal the intention of turning and speed reduction. Thanks to this, both the driver and the cyclist have a chance to notice each other and react accordingly. What’s next? – Directly before the turn, check the right-hand mirror and turn to the right to inspect the blind spot of our vehicle. In all potentially collision situations, we seek eye contact with the cyclist – then both parties are sure that they have noticed each other – they say trainers of the School of Safe Driving Renault.

The position of the side mirrors in the car is also important. The driver should see in them a fragment of the car’s outline. Thanks to this, he can make sure that there is no blind spot behind the rear pillars of the vehicle (a cyclist might be in it), which he would not be able to look at, turning his head away. So cyclists should wear reflective tape, whether on the hands, feet or on the body.

What can a cyclist do?

Safety is also greatly affected by the behavior of people riding bicycles. – Cyclists often forget that before entering a ride for cyclists, they should be careful, look around and slow down. If there is no such passage, and there is only a pedestrian crossing, one should get off the bike and carry it through the belts – says Zbigniew Weseli, director of the School of Safe Driving Renault.

Cyclists should also ensure that drivers see them well, especially after dark. Then the lighting of the bicycle is a must (during the day the regulations require only a red reflector at the back), the reflective vest will not hurt either. Although it is not obligatory, it is also worth riding in a helmet – in case of an accident, it can even save a life.

Act like this if you have a breakdown with your car at night

If the damage we suffer at night it is even more important to make ourselves visible. Legally we are only obliged to use the triangles and the vest with reflective tapes, but the more we make ourselves see, the better.

Every driver must be prepared to know how to act in the event of a possible accident or a breakdown that forces them to stop on the road. Batteries, tires and engine failures, the main reasons why drivers needed assistance, according to the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT). A few situations that make many cars an obstacle for the rest of the road users, so a car parked on the road must always be signaled as quickly as possible.

In order for this action to be carried out without endangering the safety of the occupants of the stopped vehicle and to be carried out in an appropriate manner, our car must be well marked when it is standing on the edge of the road for our safety and that of the rest of the traffic. This is especially important, especially when the breakdown we suffer at night.

The law requires that we all carry in the car two emergency triangles and a high visibility vest and turn on the “warning”, or intermittent failure, but any help is too small to warn the rest that we are on the edge of the road, or even occupying part of it when the shoulder is too narrow or we could not move the car due to the fault.

From Autocasión they emphasize that the triangles must be placed in view and far enough away to be useful. It is useless to place them near the car because a car is bigger than the triangle and it looks better. The triangles must be placed at least 50 m before the problem so that other drivers move with caution before reaching our side and, in the case that we have been standing at the exit of a curve, they must be in a straight section. before this to be effective.

If the damage we suffer at night it is even more important to make ourselves visible. Legally we are only obliged to use the triangles and the vest, but the more we make ourselves see, the better. In the market, there are several devices that will help us to be more visible, one of the most recent is the one known as Help Flash. It is a torch with the shape of a spherical cap that emits light in all directions. It has magnetic support, which when attached to the body of the car adheres and automatically turns on, and two functions:

-Demons of orange light: is the presence of alert function. It is very striking because being LED gives very fast flashes.

-Light lamp: it illuminates us and it is practical to, for example, see the screws when we change a wheel since it sticks magnetically and leaves our hands free.

There are more options in the market of lights to signal our presence, but not all are approved. A warning about Help Flash is that, although it is approved, it does not replace the car’s emergency turn signals, triangles or the vest with reflective materials. It is a compliment. If we do not put the triangles (as long as the traffic conditions allow us to do it safely) and we do not turn on the warning of the car, they can find us.

Finally, finally, it is time to ask for help. Carrying the roadside assistance phone by hand in the phone book or in a visible place in the glove compartment will save time to contact the insurance company, especially in times of nervousness. It is important to identify yourself and the more detailed the information provided, the greater the probability that the services will arrive as soon as possible, both to attend to the injured and to remove the damaged vehicle from the road and to restore circulation.

Always keep in mind …

  1. Move aside so as not to disturb: Whenever possible, the vehicle should be stopped on the shoulder and act calmly so that the emergency situation is as dangerous and uncomfortable as possible. In case the road does not have a shoulder, it is best to leave it as far as possible on the right side, bearing in mind that it is necessary to avoid exits of curves, changes of grade or areas of poor visibility.
  1. Activate the emergency lights: If the fault occurs on the motorway or highway, in low visibility conditions or between sunrise and sunset, in addition to turning on the emergency lights, the position lights will also start up, and in its case, those of gauge. However, much of the damage to the vehicles is electrical, which makes it impossible to use warnings and wired devices, so the vehicle will not be visible to other drivers. To avoid this type of situation, it is necessary to have a luminous device that allows the car to be signaled without having to have an electricity point.
  1. Put on the reflective vest: Once the vehicle has been placed in a suitable area, the regulations require the driver to put on the reflective vest before descending from the car. A rule that makes it essential to always keep this garment inside the car. Also, and although it is not mandatory that the rest of occupants also wear with the vest if they do they can avoid possible abuses.
  1. Place the triangles of security: When the conditions of circulation allow their use, the law requires to place the triangles 50 meters from the damaged vehicle, ie about 80 steps. However, this obligation will be such only when from that point it can be visible at a distance of 100 meters (twice the distance that separates us from our vehicle). This separation will guarantee greater safety and allow other drivers to react in time and move with caution before reaching the height of the obstacle. This circumstance usually occurs when the damaged vehicle stops at a grade or a curve, where it is advisable to place it at the beginning of the section.

In case the road is of double direction, it will be necessary to place the two triangles, one in front of the car and another one behind, while, if it is a one-way road, only one triangle will be installed in the part. back

  1. Be safe and ask for help: Once the vehicle has been signaled, it’s time to get safe. Both the driver and the occupants must be in an area where they do not distract the rest of the drivers, nor do they pose a new obstacle, and always off the road.

800 safety vests for passers-by

800 safety vests are passed on in the Dusseldorf area by Cotes Kresge, Fuehrer and free of charge.

Blue light organizations around Dusseldorf award free safety vests to cyclists, pedestrians or as part of a mission. Safety vests with reflective material.

A total of 800 bright yellow safety vests with reflective tapes can be provided free of charge to the blue light organizations, ire rescue, police and fire brigade, and church employees in the municipalities of Dusseldorf, Hofstadter an deer Miraa and Dusseldorf – to pedestrians, cyclists and moped riders or to persons who are around one Accident in public space. This action, which is supported by the police, the municipalities and the Civil Protection Satyriasis, is part of the initiative “Geminate.Richer”.

It started with 400 warning vests in September 2017. Due to the good response communities and civil defense, Satyriasis decided to finance another 400 safety vests.

SAXON FIRST CLIPPERS RECEIVE SAFETY VESTS

School in sight. Kids in view. “, This is the motto of this year’s security campaign for first graders of the ADAC Foundation, in which more than 36,000 – from West Germany 760,000 – safety vests are distributed to first graders in Saxony.

As a prelude, Saxony’s Minister of Education Christian Pizarro visited the 95th elementary school “Caroline Neuter” in Dresden today. Together with representatives of the active partners, he presented the West to 104 ABC shooters. Minister of Education Christian Pizarro thanks the ADAC Foundation and the Deutschmark Post DHL Group for this important event: “The best protection for our new school students is to be seen. The girls and boys with vest are visible at dusk up to 150 meters for motorists. That’s five times as far as dark-clad children, “says Pizarro. The Minister also pointed out that traffic education was firmly anchored in the elementary school curriculum. Thus, in the first to fourth grade in the subject “Minehunter” the most important traffic rules and behavior are taught.

Wearing a safety vest with reflective tapes gives children and parents extra security when, in the fall, many first graders first master the way to school in the dark. Elementary school students often cannot properly assess the dangers on the roads and because of their height, they often lack an overview. In addition, the directional hearing is not yet pronounced and the field of view is limited. So the children can not always recognize approaching road users “out of the corner of their eyes”.

The signal effect of the belonging safety vest of the ADAC Foundation makes children visible from afar for all other road users. An effect that protects you not only on the way to school but also during your free time. It’s necessary to carry reflective materials.Helmet Bishkek, the board member for traffic and technology of the ADAC Saxony, sees the parents primarily responsible. “The safety vest only serves its purpose when worn. That should just be a matter of course. ”

The entire logistics – shipping, customs clearance, packaging, and shipping – from 30,000 parcels to 16,000 elementary schools will be provided free of charge by Deutschmark Post DHL as a contribution to cooperation. “We are proud to be involved in this important task. With our expertise as a logistics provider, we ensure that the safety vests arrive wherever they are needed: directly in elementary schools, directly with the girls and boys who, as first graders, often make their first independent steps as road users, “says Ina Dietrich , Head of the Department of Transport at the Deutschmark Post Dresden branch.

The “Safe holidays 2019” campaign has started

Pupils from five provinces already have winter holidays. As every year, at that time, the police and inspectors of the Main Inspectorate of Road Transport are inspecting coaches carrying children to rest. They implemented as part of the “Safe holidays 2019”.

“The most important in connection with the beginning of winter holidays are safe to access to the place of rest of children and young people and all those who accompany them,” said Minister of Infrastructure Andrzej Adamczyk on Saturday.

On Saturday, in the parking lot at 7 national roads, the Minister of Infrastructure and the Chief Inspector of Road Transport participated in the control of coaches starting this year’s campaign “Safe holidays 2019”.

From Saturday to January 27, there will be holidays for students from the following provinces: Pomeranian, Lesser Poland, and Greater Poland.

The minister reminded that the 16th Road Transport Inspectorate, apart from the normal activities on national roads, pays particular attention to the safety of children who are going on vacations and holidays.

“Checks are not aimed at restrictive action on drivers and bus owners. The aim is to ensure that the buses are in a proper technical condition, do not pose a threat to other road users, especially to passengers whom they are transporting,” Minister Adamczyk emphasized.

“It is important that the drivers who manage these buses meet all the standards have the appropriate qualifications, certificates, not overtired, which is extremely important and they were in an absolute state of sobriety,” he stressed.

Minister Adamczyk added that today entrepreneurs already know that no bus, which children and young people go to wintering grounds and return from them cannot have faults.

“Parents who send their children to rest should be sure that they will be safely and safely return from this rest,” emphasized Adamczyk. Chief Inspector of Road Transport, Alvin, said that inspectors will control coaches until the last days of holidays in all provinces.

He added that parents who want the vehicle to be checked should contact the Provincial Road Transport Inspectorate in advance.

Buses will also be controlled in holiday resorts. ITD inspectors throughout the winter holidays will check, among others technical condition of vehicles braking and steering system, their correct lighting, tires.

A year ago, during the holidays, the Road Transport Inspection inspected 1,300 vehicles, 53 registration documents were stopped, 21 coaches (about 1.6%) were in a very bad technical condition and a driving ban was issued. All drivers were sober. Inspectors imposed 296 criminal penalties.

Alvin reminded that drivers should be rested and respect the permissible working time, and if they are going on a long route, have an alternate. Daily, the driver can drive a maximum of 10 hours twice a week, on the other days of 9 hours, and after 4.5 hours of continuous driving should take a minimum of 45 minutes break.

Małopolskie Province Governor Pieter Wick said that in 1300 facilities in Małopolskie, children and youth from all over the country will be resting. He appealed recalling the recent tragedy in the escape room so that the guardians and parents would pay attention to how they spend their children’s time.

The Deputy Marshal of the voivodeship, Lukasz Smock, said that the advantages of Małopolskie make everyone go towards the winter capital – Zakopane. “Resorts, Highlanders are prepared to receive guests, young people, tourists, and the slopes are snowed,” said Smock.

Adamczyk appealed to entrepreneurs dealing with transport, drivers and all persons who go on an individual vacation: do not hurry, let’s drive safely, equip the cars with car seats and everything necessary to transport children, keep the sense on the road.

On Saturday morning, the Minister of Infrastructure was handed over to all drivers who had no control, handed a plush crocodile – an ITD mascot, and the children received reflective vests, armbands with reflective materials, and scarves.

Tips to walk safely in the dark

The darkest days of the year are rapidly approaching. For many runners that mean training before the sun rises, or after work, when it is pitch dark. With our tips, you also keep it safe during those dark running training sessions.

  1. Fluorescent is the new black

The more striking your clothes, the greater the chance that other road users will notice you from afar. So let your black standard outfits hang in the closet and put on your most flashy sports clothes. Fashion guru Jani may not like it, but you will receive bonus points from us if you combine fluorescent with reflective material. Nowadays there are even sprays that lay a temporary reflective layer over your clothes. Handy!

  1. Invest in lighting

With fluorescent and reflective clothing, you are already well on your way. What is much safer? Taking care of your own lighting! This makes you appear on the floor in front of you so that you see where you have to put your feet. And, of course, drivers see from a great distance that a runner is arriving. Do not just think of white front light such as a headlight, but also a red backlight, for example, a run light that you comfortably wear in a “harness”.

Sdis deploys new outfits for its firefighters

The new outfits distributed to firefighters no longer have reflective strips. The Departmental Fire and Rescue Service evokes reinforced security measures.

The Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (Sdis) has been providing new uniforms for professional firefighters and volunteers for a year. Indeed, the SPF1 uniforms replaced by the TSI uniforms (for “service and intervention clothing”). This change aims to “modernize the old military outfit used for forty years and that came to an end,” says the commander David Roux.

The end of the reflective strips makes react

The Directorate of Civil Security, attached to the Ministry of the Interior, has made several adjustments to propose an outfit being modern, comfortable and ergonomic. But apart from the shape of the collar and the trousers, the absence of reflective strips near the shoulders and ankles challenges.

And a volunteer firefighter, Chief Warrant Officer Luc Darden, jumped up: “When we come to an accident and get out of the truck, the first thing we put on the ground is the foot. “Without reflective tape on the lower limbs, firefighter Braid fears for his safety and that of his colleagues while they are brought to intervene in villages sometimes not provided with public lighting:” I am afraid that motorists do not see any more firefighters on the roadsides, especially at night, and there are deaths. As a team leader, when we go to six I want us all to come back. ”

The two reflective strips placed at the height of the shoulders and legs met the high visibility standards of yesteryear, but “these have evolved,” says Commander Roux. A dramatic event notably upset the precautions taken in terms of visibility and safety in a general way. On November 29, 2002, five firefighters died during a road accident, all mowed by a car launched at nearly 160 km / h on a limited portion of 90 km / h.

The Ministry of the Interior then entrusted Colonel Christian Porn, head of the Civil Protection Inspectorate, with the task of studying and making proposals to improve the active and passive safety of the workers. The recommendations include improved visibility of personnel and vehicles in intervention.

No bands but a reflective vest

New recommendations made in terms of high visibility and in addition to a reinforced markup and new instructions addressed to fire and rescue centers in case of intervention on public roads, the firefighters equipped with yellow or red reflective vests that they put on over their TSI or SPF1 outfit.

“The vest ensures the safety of the agents and the visibility of the latter is ensured as long as they are in their vehicle thanks to the markup (a perimeter of security is assured thanks to cones),” pleads the commander David Roux, while specifying that the reflective materials have not disappeared on the outfits used to fight fires.

Finally, the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service specifies that the new TSI outfits are made from fireproof materials and that the number of closures and pockets has been revised upwards.

The Senior in the Dark passed the bypass

A 90-year-old woman died in a cervical hospital, which was hit by a car on the highway on Monday. The Senior traveled through a bustling road in places where it was forbidden by signs, in the dark and without reflective vests.

The accident happened on Monday, at about half past seven. Toyota’s twenty-six-year-old driver drove in Prague, and near the department store, he collided with a pedestrian.

“One hundred and the eighty-year-old woman suffered very severe injuries. First aid was given to her by the South Bohemian Medical Emergency Rescue Service crew. Subsequently, the rescue workers transported it to the hospital, “police spokesman Milan said.

This morning, a report from the hospital came out saying that the senior had succumbed to the injuries. “The police have started criminal proceedings for suspicion of committing a crime of negligence,” Milan said.

The woman went to places where traffic signs were forbidden. At the same time, the darkness and the senior did not have reflective clothing or reflective materials.

“We remind all pedestrians and cyclists to remember these elements,” Milan pointed out.

On-site police officers took a breath test with a negative result while listening to witnesses.

According to Milan, the police can hardly exclude whether a woman would commit suicide in this way.

Instead, pedestrians choose quite often despite the ban. About two months ago, another woman died when she crossed over. This year, 67 people died on South Bohemian roads.

How to care for safety on the water?

Henry Missy, secretary of the District of the Polish Sailing Association, instructor and experienced sea skipper advises on how to ensure safety on the water.

What is this “Wear It” action?

In Polish, it means “put it on”. This is an educational campaign in our region initiated by the Water Rescue Service. We, sailors, join in. The idea is to make people aware that you must wear a life jacket when using swimming equipment.

And people wear?

I see a significant improvement in consciousness. Education brings results. Wearing a safety vest is not trash, just a proof that we care about our safety.

Why a dry swimmer vest? Even if it falls into the water, it will not drown.

Unfortunately, he may drown. We swim the most when it is warm. The body is heating up. Contact with cold water, the temperature difference can cause thermal shock. There may be different situations on the water. The sailor can be hit with a boom and lose consciousness. The basic task of the vest is to keep the man on the surface and in such a position that the head is above the water. A special collar is used for this.

It’s a basic function. What is the other?

The vest protects against the loss of body temperature, it is important if you will have to wait longer for rescue. Well, it ensures visibility. Let’s remember the person in the water can see only the head or hands. A brightly colored vest with reflective material will allow you to see a man from a distance. For example, a motor boater who swims on scooters or motorboats quickly.

Which vest to choose? There are many kinds.

The person not able to swim should wear a life jacket. With increased buoyancy, with a collar. Good swimmers can wear a lighter safety vest. In any case, it should be selected for human height and weight. It must keep us afloat, be well-matched and tied. It should also have reflective elements, like reflective tapes, this is very important.

You have been sailing on the seas for years. How is there security?

It is essential. Experienced sailors do not go on board without a vest. These marine are additionally equipped with a whistle to call for help, sometimes a transmitter. Marine vests are a bit more comfortable than ordinary ones because they are pneumatic. They only fill with air when in contact with water or after unprotected by the user. On the decks is extended, to which sailors in difficult weather conditions fasten special braces, this prevents falling overboard.

What would you give the most important advice to water sports enthusiasts?

The greatest enemy of a man who comes into contact with water is alcohol. You must remember about this.

Riding in the dark: that is to be considered

In autumn and winter, it cannot always be avoided that one moves in the dark with his horse. We explain which equipment is indispensable and what else needs to be considered.

Autumn has its own charm: clear, sunny days, leaves shine in gold and red, the leaves have fallen to the ground, rustling with every step… At the same time the hours of sun are steadily decreasing, dusk and darkness break-in earlier. Then as a working man, who usually can only spend time in the evening for his hobby, equestrian sport, cannot enjoy the luxury of a lit space or even a riding arena, must either forego the movement of the horse during the week or into the dark out the car. However, if you pay attention to a few things and get the right equipment, riding in the dark can be very special. Especially on clear moonlit nights you literally get to know the surroundings of the stable in a new light.

No fear of the dark

Incidentally, horses look a lot more relaxed than humans when they go out in the dark. Because horses look good in low light. Tapetum lucidum is the name of the responsible reflective layer in the back of the horse eye. It ensures the incident light passes through the retina twice. This enhances the response of the photoreceptors there. In addition, horses have three times as many receptors as humans, so even a weak light stimulus is better perceived and the contrast between light and dark intensified.

Although horses see well in the dark, it is advisable to get used to the changed circumstances slowly before the first nocturnal rides and first go out at dusk. First, you should familiarize the horse on the usual routes with the additional equipment such as headlamp, reflective ceiling or even the headlights of oncoming cars. If you feel uncomfortable in the dark and you are alarmed at the slightest noise, a night trip with a horse is probably not such a good idea. Horses are sensitive animals and often perceive their rider’s mood faster than they do themselves. The horse can easily be infected by the insecurity of the biped and transformed into a tense fearful rabbit. If horse and rider are restless and tense, the ride not only does not give any real pleasure, it can also be dangerous for humans and animals in such circumstances.

Anyone who wants to or has to go into the countryside in the dark and even participates in traffic must equip themselves accordingly. This is true even for short trips to the tarmac, for example, when you lead the horse from the paddock into the stable and then walk or cross a road. Anyone driving a car knows how bad the view is at dusk. Pedestrians and even large animals such as horses can easily be overlooked. Equipment with reflective safety equipment is therefore mandatory, says Daniela Wolf, “Safety is absolutely paramount. If someone asks me if reflexes are really always necessary, I ask a counter question: ‘Do I always need a helmet when riding – or is it enough if I wear one now and then?’ “Traffic is steadily increasing, and riding routes are mostly in the urban area getting harder and harder to reach. “When I’m on the road and in the field, safety should be in the foreground. And especially in the twilight, in poor visibility through fog or rain or even in the dark one is always dependent on the – timely – reactions of others in their own safety. Everything that draws attention to me and my horse at an early stage is clearly an advantage, “says Wolf.

Equestrian sports retailers now offer a variety of reflective riding equipment, which brings great benefits at low prices. Comprehensive equipment for rider and horse ensures good visibility in oncoming and subsequent traffic, but also from the side. “You can usually do without elaborate technology. The light clothing for rider and horse has proven itself in practice and proven to be practical and functional, “explains Wolf. The range of light articles is now large. Particularly striking because of the large coverage is a reflective blanket, which makes it easier for drivers to perceive the contours of the horse better. It is important that the ceiling is held in a fluorescent neon color and also has reflective stripes.

The fact that the rider should also be equipped with reflective clothing has several reasons: First, it increases the reflective surface, which makes the rider-horse team all the more visible and better. In addition, during a ride, it may well come to situations in which the rider takes down and leads the horse. In such a case, a rider without a vest would be virtually invisible to traffic. Of course, you should also consider the worst case: The horse shoes, makes a sentence on the side, the rider crashes and comes hurt or even unconscious on the road to lie down. The lack of a reflective garment could have fatal consequences in this case.

The horse can be more visible by additional articles. We recommend reflective leggings or goofballs. The headlights of the car illuminate primarily the road, so the area near the ground – the farther away, the closer to the ground is the illuminated area, as the light beam is lowered by about one centimeter per meter. Accordingly, objects on the street level are first illuminated, horseback and rider backs are often detected by the headlights when the vehicle is already very close. Gaiters, however, come faster in the range of the light cone and are thus visible to the driver earlier. In principle, one should buy leggings for all four legs, in case of doubt, but at least the left front and the left hind leg provided with a gaiter. The leg movement of the horse additionally enhances the reflective effect and makes the pair even more alert.

So that the horse is quickly and completely visible to oncoming cars, reflective tapes for bridles and reins, as well as reflective necklaces and ear covers are available. For those who really want to play it safe, tail guards, halter covers and rods in reflective materials also available. Also, individual reflector strips, such as for attachment to arms or legs, are available. Additional boot and stirrup lamps mark the lateral corner points of the rider-horse pair and help motorists to maintain the necessary safety distance when overtaking.