Did you ever get scared while driving these days, when suddenly a pedestrian stood on the roadside you had not seen before? A situation that occurs on the streets every day during the winter months. And that often enough lead to accidents. But there is a pleasing trend: Flashing on the sidewalks and streets of the republic is becoming more and more frequent.
"We can confirm this trend. That's definitely the case," says Michael of the traffic accident prevention police in Dusseldorf. "And of course it makes sense because you are seen so much earlier." Especially cyclists and scooter riders are increasingly traveling with safety vests.
The expert explains: If the spotlight falls on normal clothing. It is only visible from a distance of 30 to 40 meters. "With reflective clothing, it's 140 to 150 meters, so you'll be recognized in the spotlight up to five times as early." And the sooner drivers see one, the better for everyone involved. How bad the visibility can be, shows this video of the Austrian Automobile Club ÖAMTC in a frightening and informative way:
Anyone looking for it soon realizes that there are plenty of light products and reflective clothing for people and animals in the trade. Many accessories are now even really stylish. Earlier, cyclists could choose whether to buy a safety vest in neon yellow or bright orange, and today there are reflective caps, glowing waist and waist straps to accentuate the sporty outfit, or cling and LED bands in all sorts of colors, variations and styles Wish even patterned. Who wants to be an eye-catcher in the dark, can even provide his shoes with shining shoelaces in pink, blue or green.
The products have another thing in common: many are doubly useful. You need a bike lock anyway - why not buy the reflective one then? Even the dog collar when going for a walk must be. If you can additionally protect the quadruped by flashing and lighting, that is an argument for many owners. Many parents may also find the idea of a reflective umbrella for children good: during the day it is light gray, but in the dark it light up when a car headlight illuminates it.
Today it is much cheaper than before to make clothes with reflective elements, which add fuel to the trend. "There are more and more often cheap products to buy, also and especially at the discount stores," says Axel from BTE trade association textile. For children, in jackets, trousers and shoes, reflective fabrics are often seen from the outset. And last but not least, police, cities and associations are constantly launching traffic visibility campaigns, raising awareness of this issue.
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