Pedestrians have a duty that they often don't even know about

Cyclists, but also pedestrians, must be visible on the road, so by law, they have to have reflective elements on them. Not only in the dark but also the gloom, fog, snowfall or heavy rain. In autumn and winter weather almost always. See under what conditions it is necessary to use reflective material elements, where to place them, what to watch out for and what to do if you do not get them.

Moving in the autumn and winter gloom near roads without reflective elements can be deadly. Sad statistics show that: Last year, 101 pedestrians died in road accidents, 53 of them in the dark. A year before, 111 pedestrians died, 66 of them at night.

What does the law say?

The Road Traffic Act stipulates that pedestrians moving outside the village in poor visibility along the side of the road or on the edge of the road in a place not illuminated by public lighting are required to wear elements of retro-reflective material placed to be visible to other road users. roads. "The obligation to be marked thus applies not only in the dark, but also, for example, at dawn, dusk, fog, snowfall or heavy rain," explains Vlasta Suchánková, a police spokesman in the Liberec Region.

The use of reflective equipment is worthwhile in the village. There, while the law does not impose reflective elements on pedestrians, the number of tragic accidents shows that the risk is the same, if not greater. Last year, 26 pedestrians died outside the village, 27 of them lost their lives in the village. Last year, 28 victims died outside the village and 38 in the village!

How to make yourself visible

The rules of the road do not determine what the reflective accessory should look like and where it should be located. "In any case, it should have a sufficient area at least equal to the dimensions of the reflective tape. It is best placed above the wrist and possibly over the ankle on the side facing the center of the road. In poor visibility, drivers most perceive pedestrians with reflective accessories located on moving parts of the body. They respond to moving luminous spots approximately three times earlier than to the reflective surfaces statically placed on the fuselage," explains traffic expert Roman Budský.

Of course, it is also possible to reach quality reflective pendants. They should be located on the side to the center of the road and at the same time be visible to the driver coming not only to the forehead but also to the back and side of the pedestrian.

And the color of reflective accessories? Preferably bright yellow-green. For that is the human eye most sensitive.

"Reflexes must be purchased with high quality, complying with the relevant regulations, such as CE marked. Otherwise, the pedestrian will only buy a dangerous fashion accessory," Budský warns.