"Help yourself to be noticed!" (promotion of the use of retroreflective elements and high-visibility vests by pedestrians, cyclists, and cart drivers)

September 27, 2023

Visibility while driving is crucial for the safety of both vehicle occupants and pedestrians. Many accidents occur because traffic participants are seen too late or do not notice each other. The less light there is, the higher the probability that a pedestrian will blend in with the roadway or shoulder. In the dark, human eyes perceive the surrounding environment much worse than during the day. It is difficult to determine how quickly a car is approaching. During such periods, as well as in bad weather, drivers do not see pedestrians or notice them too late. Speed limits are not a panacea. Very often in reality, a driver notices a pedestrian on the roadway from a distance of no more than 25-30 meters, and even at a speed of 50 km/h, the stopping distance of the car exceeds this distance. In the evening and at night, when streets and courtyards are poorly lit, drivers detect a pedestrian with reflective elements from a significantly greater distance. If a car is moving with low beams, the distance increases from 25-40 meters to 130-140 meters. With high beams, the distance increases to 400 meters. According to research, the distance from which a “marked pedestrian” becomes more visible to the driver increases by 1.5-3 times. This gives the driver additional time to make the most correct decision to avoid a possible collision with a pedestrian (thereby reducing the risk of a vehicle hitting a pedestrian by 85%). The braking distance of a car moving at a speed of 80-90 km/h is 35-40 meters. Since a person is constantly moving, light rays fall on them not directly (as on a bicycle), but at different angles. The special composition of reflectors allows them to reflect light in the same direction from which it falls. A reflective element will always be visible.

Rain, fog are not an obstacle. The range of reflective products is quite diverse. These include flickers (pendants, stickers), reflective armbands, webbing, and ready-made clothing with reflective material details.

In the dark, on average, 50% of the total number of road traffic accidents occur. Driving a car during this time period is quite difficult in terms of driver performance and selecting a safe driving mode. Night driving is always more dangerous because the driver cannot see far and anticipate changes in situations. Thus, a pedestrian, by marking themselves with reflective elements, contributes to ensuring road safety.