The protection professionals at Allprotec® are committed to ensuring that all road users can move safely in road traffic, especially when it gets dark. Information is provided and some helpful tips are given to increase visibility in the dark and thus reduce the risk of accidents.
The days are getting shorter and the nights longer
In the dark season, it is only light for 8 hours between sunrise and sunset. On the way to work or home, very few people see daylight. And since it is harder to see in the dark, the risk of accidents in road traffic increases. In addition to the darkness, the weather often plays a role. Rain or fog impair visibility. Wet leaves or frozen wetness extend the braking distance.
It is well known that light-colored and reflective clothing plays a crucial role in being seen better in the dark. Whether summer or winter, light-colored clothing offers additional safety for pedestrians, scooters and cyclists. These tips are intended to help you to be more visible and thus avoid accidents in road traffic. However, it is not only pedestrians and cyclists who can contribute to improving safety, motorised road users can also make their contribution.
Reflective high-visibility clothing
It has been proven that a driver can recognize a pedestrian with light-colored and reflective clothing from a distance of 140 meters, while with dark clothing it is only possible from a distance of about 25 meters. So the right outfit has a big impact on visibility! If pedestrians wear light-coloured clothing with reflectors, drivers become aware of them at an early stage and can react appropriately.
Statistics show that in the dark season, especially at dusk and darkness, there is an increased danger for pedestrians. In 2018, a total of 458 pedestrians lost their lives in traffic accidents, with more than half of them (232) being involved in low-light conditions. According to DEKRA accident researcher Stefanie Ritter, this is no coincidence, as drivers have much worse vision in the dark and are confronted with a constant change of bright and dark light conditions, for example due to neon signs or reflections on wet roads. In addition, pedestrians, scooter riders and cyclists often have a narrower silhouette, which makes their visibility even more difficult.
So if you are out and about early in the morning or in the evening at dusk or in the dark, you should take special care to be clearly visible. The most important rule for protection against accidents is: Wear light-colored clothing with reflectors! Because whether a road user can brake in time depends primarily on when the other person is noticed. In the headlights, a pedestrian dressed in dark clothing is only recognized from a distance of about 25 meters. For motorists, this may be too late to brake in time and come to a stop.
Tips from the protection professionals
Wearing light-colored clothing or eye-catching colors such as yellow or orange and using additional reflectors, you will be seen from a distance of 140 meters. This seemingly small measure can be life-saving in an emergency! This is especially true for people who regularly work in the dark, such as newspaper deliverers or courier drivers.
To improve visibility, we as protection professionals at Allprotec® will share some helpful tips:
- Wearing light-colored clothing with reflective elements.
- Put on a high-visibility vest.
- Use of reflective tapes on arms and legs.
- Attaching reflective stickers to transport bags.
- Make sure that the lighting is good on the bike with LED headlights and parking lights as well as the prescribed reflectors. Additional spoke reflectors can increase the reflective surface of the bike.
- Wearing a reflective bicycle helmet or a bicycle helmet with additional light.
It encourages people to be aware of the importance of being able to be seen well at dusk and in the dark. Therefore, you should also take some measures to optimally support your own view:
- It is recommended to turn on all lights in twilight, darkness or poor visibility.
- It is important to make sure that the windshield and headlights are clean.
- Motorcyclists should also have a clean, fog-free visor.
- If necessary, cleaned and ideally anti-reflective glasses should be worn.
- It is advisable to check the lights on the car, motorcycle and bicycle and turn on the lights in time.
- If available, illuminated paths should be used as pedestrians.
- A flashlight or headlamp can be used if necessary.
It's important to keep in mind that visual acuity and contrast vision are worse at night and at dusk than during the day – even with healthy eyes. The natural aging process and certain eye diseases can also further impair vision in the dark. Specialists therefore recommend having regular eye examinations from the age of 40 in order to detect changes or diseases at an early stage and to be able to treat them adequately.
In addition, motorists in particular have the opportunity to take part in the free light test every year in October. This is a campaign by the German Traffic Watch (DVW) and the Central Association of the German Motor Vehicle Trade (ZDK), in which the various components of the vehicle lighting are checked for function and correct adjustment.
Always remember: In case of poor visibility due to darkness, rain, snow or fog, the speed should be adjusted accordingly. As a participant in road traffic, you should always be fully concentrated and not allow any distractions, such as using your mobile phone while driving. As a driver, pay particular attention to people who want to cross the road. Special caution is required when turning at intersections so as not to endanger pedestrians. You should be particularly careful with unlit streets, but also with the flood of lights in the cities.
The protection professionals at Allprotec® are happy to assist at all times and want to ensure that all road users are safe on the road. Having the right equipment and knowing how to best stay visible can help prevent accidents in the dark.
"It is always important to remember that your own safety, but also the safety of other road users, depends on visibility," says Sonia Niedhart
