Children from the AWO autumn vacation already knew very well. They wear reflective backpacks, have reflective fabrics on their clothes and glowing pendants. This often gives them a lot of precedence over the elderly. Police chiefs of commission Joachim Tabatha and Michael Knap also stated this during their event “Safe and visible through the dark season”. For the first time, two road safety advisors shared their information with children and seniors.
The group room was filled to the last seat on Friday. In addition to the seniors from the district, the children of the AWO vacation leisure had come to hear what the traffic safety adviser of the police had tips for them. “Safe and visible through the dark season,” was the title. It was a premiere for Joachim Tabatha and his colleague Michael Knap, as they usually speak in front of children or senior citizens, but not before both.
So the children were allowed to tell first what they already know about safety in traffic and in the dark. And what was there surprised Joachim Sabbath, because the offspring already knew well? Already in the kindergarten, they have learned to cross the street properly and to provide with reflectors for good visibility. For while a pedestrian or cyclist with reflective clothing is already seen in 140 m distances, one recognizes a brightly dressed person only in 40 m distance and a dark-clad person even in 25 m distance, so that motorists often cannot stop on time.
But many seniors do not like to go out in the dark and therefore do not attach much importance to their visibility. A risk, as the traffic safety consultants, clarify. Around one-third of all accidents happen at dusk or in the dark and this can be the case in the winter in the late afternoon. Sight decreases very much in the dark, especially in old age. This increases the accident risk for pedestrians by three times in the dark, as they are often not seen at all or too late.
Even for adults, there are easy ways to provide the clothing with reflective material. The chief police officers presented jackets, reflective vests, an integrated flashlight, bicycle helmets, and a filament to sew into clothing. All guests received reflective shopping bags as well as pendants that can be attached to handbags. So equipped with young and older people are better seen in the twilight and darkness and are therefore safer on the road.