Experts and police would welcome reflective elements in the communities

For nearly three years, pedestrians outside the village have to wear reflective vests at reduced visibility. Yet last year, 101 pedestrians died in traffic accidents, of which about a third were in the dark or fog in the village, where they do not have to wear reflective elements. Such a rule applies, for example, in Finland or Slovakia. In the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Transport is not considering it yet, although it would be welcomed by both police and experts.

"The states that introduced reflective elements before us, such as Finland, Estonia or Slovakia, also first introduced reflective elements outside the community. However, the development of traffic accidents clearly convinced them that it would be good to introduce them to municipalities. Around half of the pedestrians die in the dark in our country, in Finland, the measures have led to it being only 30 percent. In this respect, he has the most favorable statistics in the EU," says Roman Budsky of the Road Safety Team.

Last year, 101 pedestrians died in the Czech Republic, 60 of them in the dark and at low visibility during the day when the rain or fog is raining. Over half of these sixty deaths hit a car in a village where reflective elements are not mandatory. According to Brodsky, they have a sense in these cases and clearly reduce the risk of tragic accidents.

"The reflective element should have a minimum effective dimension, which is basically a reflective tape that is sold or distributed at various traffic safety events. The ideal color is yellow-green, the spectrum on which the human eye is most sensitive. And if a pedestrian so marks, the driver should see him at some 150 to 200 meters. If he is dressed only in black clothes, it is some 20 or 30 meters," he explains.

Such a measure would be supported by the police. "If this discussion is reopened, the Police of the Czech Republic supports the introduction of reflective supplements in these locations," says traffic police chief Tomáš Lerch. However, the government's legislative council cut a similar debate two years ago.

"In preparing the amendment to the Act that came into force in 2016, we discussed where the obligation to wear reflective tapes should be introduced everywhere. We agreed that it should be in a place where there is no pavement and where there is no public lighting. We also discussed whether it should be in the village or outside the village. Finally, it was decided by the lawmaker that this obligation was established outside the municipality," he recalls.

The change is not going

However, the Ministry does not plan to change the rules. "We are not considering extending the obligation to carry elements in the village at this time. Significant are the riskiest situations that occur when moving a pedestrian outside the village," says the Ministry of Transport spokeswoman Lenka Rezková.

According to Radiožurnál, the ministry does not want to burden people with another duty, even though it knows that it could help road safety. At least the resort recommends that pedestrians wear reflective elements at low visibility everywhere.

But it is not a binding rule, so nobody can follow it. On the other hand, outside the village in low visibility and at night, a pedestrian without reflective materials can get a fine of up to two thousand. However, accident statistics alone may be a bigger warning. Over the past 10 months, 90 pedestrians have died in traffic accidents. Thirteen more than the same period last year.