New rules for scooters: helmet and reflective vest

The new rules for the circulation of electric scooters have come into force, now increasingly widespread also on the roads of Piacenza. The main contents established decree-law are these:

MINIMUM AGE –  The electric scooter can only be used from 14 years upwards, and only on urban roads where the limit of 50 km / h is foreseen. On extra-urban roads, circulation is allowed only in the presence of cycle paths.

MAXIMUM SPEED –  The maximum speed allowed is 25 km / h on the carriageway and 6 km / h in pedestrian areas. Scooters without front and rear lights cannot circulate in low light hours in the evening and night and during the day in particular weather conditions. The penalties can vary from 100 to 400 euros.

HELMET AND JACKET – Underage drivers must wear a helmet and keep their arms and hands-free unless it is necessary to signal the turning maneuver. It is forbidden to carry other people, objects, or animals. From half an hour after sunset, during the whole period of darkness and the day, drivers must wear the high visibility reflective vest or suspenders. Otherwise, you risk a fine of 50 to 200 euros.

RENTAL –  Finally, scooter rental and sharing services can only be activated with a municipal council resolution. The Municipality of Piacenza, in this sense, has not yet expressed itself.

These innovations were made known by the Observatory for road safety education of the Emilia-Romagna Region, also expressing some perplexities: “We stigmatize the lack of training for those who use these devices – intervenes the president  Mauro Sorbie  – because their management requires quick reflexes and a strong sense of balance. Furthermore, it would be appropriate to extend the obligation to carry an identity document, precisely to facilitate the task of the police in the checks on scooters”.

Use of bicycle instead of public transport

The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported that the use of bicycles instead of public transport reduces the possibility of contagion of the new coronavirus. In this sense, the health sector promoted the use of this medium.

According to Alexandro Saco, director of Health Promotion of the Minsa, detailed that in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the bicycle has become an effective alternative that avoids crowds and reduces the possibility of contagion about public transport.

Also, he maintained that it is affordable, reliable, clean, ecological, and benefits health. It also avoids a sedentary lifestyle, which is one of the risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases (diabetes, hypertension, obesity), and contributes to improving good air quality in cities and recovering public space.

According to the Minsa, according to recent studies, it is known that 220,000 residents of Metropolitan Lima regularly use bicycles as a means of transportation, that is, 3%. Of this universe, 40% said that they would be willing to continue traveling on two wheels when the state of emergency has ended, to avoid contagions and due to the speed of the transfer, which would lead to an increase in cyclists in the city.

“The COVID-19 pandemic generated crises in various areas. Likewise, it meant an opportunity to value health and life; many people increased their active lives and found cycling a way to stay healthy and prevent the risks of COVID-19 transmission in public transport”, said Alexandro Saco, director of Health Promotion of the Minsa.

In this sense, Alexandro Saco advised to keep the bicycle in good condition (brakes, tires, lights, chain, rudder, bell); wear a protective helmet, reflective vest, cycling gloves, and a face mask; and respect the regulations and traffic signs.

Reflective vests to protect pedestrians

The safety of pedestrians is part of the work of the agents of the Traffic sector of the Civil Guard, who in recent days, within their daily tasks, have carried out a distribution of reflective vests among pedestrians.

The initiative is part of the constant work of the Civil Guard for the sake of improving road safety and reducing the number of victims on roads throughout Galicia and leads them to stop pedestrians driving without the corresponding vest and give them one.

Also, they take the opportunity to remind them of the regulations on road safety, which states that the use of this piece is mandatory for pedestrians and drivers. In the case of pedestrians, failure to reach it is a penalty of 80 euros. For drivers, the fine is higher, 200 euros, and also involves the loss of 3 points if you get out of the vehicle without it.

Traffic officers also report that if a pedestrian drives without a safety vest a driver does not detect him until he is 20 meters away, but if they take this piece of safety they can see him already at 150 meters, so it increases by 130 meters of reaction from other road users.

Pedestrians must wear reflectors

In Ukraine, on Wednesday, November 25, several changes to the Road Traffic Rules (SDA), concerning drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians, came into force.

So, earlier, taxi drivers and passengers while driving in the village, and driving instructors and outside, could not use seat belts. According to the new rules, they must be fastened, according to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the telegram channel.

“This rule obliges taxi drivers to ensure the presence of seat belts in both the front and back seats and to remind passengers of the need to use them. Only drivers and passengers with disabilities are allowed not to wear them in the village if this is physiologically impossible, as well as drivers and passengers. operational and special vehicles “, – the message emphasizes.

Also, the rule on the prohibition to change the size, shape, markings, color, and location of license plates, to apply additional marks on them, or to close them comes into force. Rooms must be clean and well-lit.

Cyclists, according to the new rules, are allowed to move along the lane for route vehicles.

Pedestrians must use reflective elements at night and in poor visibility conditions.

“At night and in conditions of insufficient visibility, pedestrians who move along the carriageway or shoulder must use reflective elements (reflective tape, sticker, vest, etc.) or wear clothing that has reflective elements. This is specified in paragraph .4.4 SDA of Ukraine “, emphasized in the ministry.

See and be seen! A fluorescent vest to save pedestrians

“1% reflective vest” among pedestrians walking by the side of the road at night. This is the result of a road safety awareness operation on Friday evening in Les Abymes. Departmental workers distributed reflective vests to pedestrians on Perrin road.

 

“20% in black clothes. 50% in the variegated outfit. 29% in bright clothing and 1% reflective vest”. This is the report drawn up by the departmental teams as part of the Security Meetings, Friday evening, in Abymes, during a free distribution of fluorescent vests on the road to Perrin. The message delivered: “see and be seen! To avoid any accident.”

 

Orange reflective vests were thus distributed to pedestrians. Sunday walkers or informed runners the goal is to protect themselves and make themselves as visible as possible, explains Didier Pitchy, departmental road safety worker for Guadeloupe: “above all, above all, it is not to wear dark costumes!”

 

“A vehicle, dressed in black, it is 30 meters of visibility that it has on you, 50 meters if you have a T-shirt or white pants, and 150 meters if you have the fluorescent vest”.

 

“It costs you nothing”, insists this former gendarme who deplores that some put their “elegance” before their safety.

 

Catherine likes to walk in the early morning, “around 5 am”, on deep-sea roads “to stay in shape” and recognizes that she ended up putting on a fluorescent vest because “the cars are sometimes not careful, you have to. stand on the low side to let them pass”.

 

“We have to go in the wrong direction; when the cars go up, I get off,” she advises for greater safety.

 

Didier Pitchy reminds pedestrians to circulate in suitable areas, motorists to “turn on their headlights” as soon as daylight decreases, and cyclists to “signal themselves” especially when they are traveling at night.

 

Since the start of the year, 6 pedestrians and 4 cyclists have been killed on our roads. The so-called vulnerable users (on foot or two wheels) represent 62% of deaths on Guadeloupe roads.

Mandatory mask in the car?

Mandatory mask in the car? The government in Berlin has such a plan – not only in the time of the pandemic. However, this does not mean that every driver will have to cover his face always and everywhere. The mask is supposed to be like … a reflective vest.

 

When driving in Germany by car, it is worth having a reflective vest in the trunk. It will be useful in an emergency, but you can also get a penalty for not having it.

 

The German government now wants a similar obligation for face masks. This may not sound particularly surprising in the current situation – after all, there is a pandemic, everyone has a mask with them anyway.

 

However, information from German media shows that Angela Merkel’s government wants the obligation to stay and after the pandemic – when we finally deal with it. In a word – two masks in a car are to be the same duty as now a reflective vest. You will need them in your trunk. Failure to do so is subject to a fine of EUR 15.

 

Mandatory mask in the car. But why?

Exactly – most of us treat masks as a necessary evil. And we will gladly take them off as soon as the pandemic is over. So why an extra obligation?

 

Not everyone understands this. For example, he does not understand ADAC – an influential German organization with up to 17 million drivers. “Such principles are accepted when people understand the need behind them,” said an ADAC spokeswoman.

 

So what can the German government be about? Maybe this is a cover in the event of a future pandemic? Or maybe the German authorities are just preparing for the fact that the pandemic will not end so soon – even if we think so?

 

There is another explanation as well. The masks are uncomfortable, but they protect us against viruses – not only against coronavirus. And it is visible that the number of remaining infections is decreasing because masks simply protect us against them. Who knows, maybe it’s time to prepare for the fact that we will not forget about the masks so quickly, and that the authorities will “encourage” us in various ways to have them with us as often as possible?

Remember to clean the road after the passage of agricultural machinery

In wet periods, the passage of agricultural machinery can make the roads muddy, therefore slippery and dangerous. To limit the risks, it is necessary to report the site to the drivers and clean the road afterward. In the event of dirty work, also remember to check that the indicators, position lights, and rotating beacon are clean and in working order before resuming the road.

Obligation to clean the roads at the end of the work

As soon as the rainy days follow one another, when many tractors intervene on a plot, for example, to harvest corn, potatoes, or beets, the roads can become covered with mud at the exit of the plots. Cleaning them at the end of the work is a legal obligation.

If this mud is the cause of an accident, your liability may be incurred.

Article 1240 of the Civil Code stipulates that “any act whatsoever of man which causes damage to another obliges the person through whose fault he has arrived to repair it”. Even if the fault is not voluntary, not having cleaned the road at the end of your worksite makes you responsible for the slip, at the origin of the accident.

In the event of a dispute, the sentence may range from a fine of 1,500 to 3,000 €, about article R 116-2-4 of the Highway Code which punishes anyone who spreads harmful substances on the road. health and public safety. If the accident results in bodily injury, the fault is reclassified as an offense carrying the penalty of up to a fine of € 15,000 and imprisonment for one year. In the event of death, responsible agriculture incurs a fine of up to € 145,000 and 3 years’ imprisonment.

Report the risk

During the work, to limit the risk of accident, the law obliges to report the presence of mud, such as the exit of tractors or any other danger. You must position regulatory triangular panels 150 m before the site, in both directions of traffic. However, installing a panel does not release any liability and does not exempt from cleaning. But in the event of an appeal, the authorities will judge whether the right means have been implemented, the signs are part of it.

Clean at the end of the work

To limit the soiling of the road, if possible, choose the most favorable weather window. Depending on the configuration of the plot, take a secondary path or multiply the accesses, to avoid piles of mud in the same place.

If despite these precautions, mud is present on the pavement, it will have to be cleaned as soon as the site is finished, either manually (during this intervention, people on the pavement must of course wear a retro-reflective vest), or with a sweeper-type machine with a rubber bib.

The damaged vehicle can be marked with yellow flash launchers

Since last day 1, a damaged vehicle can already be marked with a flashing yellow light, this being one of the modifications introduced by the Order of July 31.

It is included in Annex XI of the Vehicle Regulation the possibility of placing on the exterior of the vehicle, when it is immobilized on the road due to accident or breakdown, a yellow auto light device, with autonomous power supply, high visibility and that is stable on a flat surface. This new luminous device is included as an optional element, together with the existing danger triangle, which is still mandatory.

The new element improves the pre-signaling, avoiding what sometimes happens, the accident by the scope with dire consequences for the driver of the damaged vehicle.

We take this opportunity to remember the provisions in case of immobilization of the vehicle due to damage or physical discomfort. If the vehicle is stopped on the road (and the shoulder is part of the road), the driver will turn on the fault light (all four turn signals). Then a reflective vest should be put on when you leave the vehicle on the interurban roads, with a fine of 200 euros for not doing so. In the city, it is not compulsory.

Immediately afterward, you must place the hazard warning signs 50 meters from the vehicle, one in front and one behind, except on the one-way roads that will only be placed behind, and must be visible from 100 meters. Not using such devices, or doing it improperly, carries a fine of 80 euros.

If you have the new lighting device, it is time to place it on the roof of the vehicle.

ADAC promotes visibility for cyclists and pedestrians

The dark season has started. Pedestrians and cyclists in particular are difficult to see for drivers. The ADAC will therefore be promoting “Safety through Visibility” from November 17th.

 

The “Visibility Days” run from Tuesday to Thursday (November 17-19). With many campaigns – including in Potsdam and the Linthe Driving Safety Center – the ADAC is aimed at pedestrians and cyclists so that they pay more attention to be easily visible to motorists in the dark.

 

Advertising for reflective materials

The ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg supports the national day of the third year in row visibility that the “Network traffic safety Brandenburg” and “Forum Traffic Safety of the State of Brandenburg initiated in 2018 for the first time.” He would like to explain that pedestrians and cyclists can actively do something for their safety by wearing reflective materials.

 

In the state of Brandenburg, around 3,000 people have an accident every year with bicycles and 850 as pedestrians. Accidents often happen because pedestrians or cyclists are not seen or seen too late. According to the ADAC, your risk of accidents increases three times at dusk and night.

 

ADAC enough giveaways in Potsdam from

Reflective materials – whether as a safety vest, clack tape, or trailer – but also functioning bicycle lights and spoke reflectors can significantly improve visibility. The ADAC is sufficient in its branch in Potsdam-Babelsberg, Fritz-Zubeil-Straße 95, and in the driving safety center Berlin-Brandenburg in Linthe, Am Kalkberg 6 Reflector material.

Darkness: “50 traffic accidents avoidable”

According to the police, up to 50 serious accidents with pedestrians, each year in Salzburg could be avoided if people had dressed in lighter colors or even wore a safety vest. Even a small reflector on clothing can be seen from 150 meters away.

 

Seen or not seen – this question can make the difference between life and death on the road during the cold season when the days are short and the nights long. It was not until mid-November that a dark-clad pensioner was overlooked by a moped driver and fatally injured.

 

According to the Salzburg traffic police, between 30 and 50 accidents per year could be avoided with appropriate clothing and behavior that is adapted to the dark. “Serious accidents don’t always happen, but there are many near-accidents and evasive maneuvers, which in turn lead to accidents. The decisive factor for me is that these accidents could be avoided very easily if one behaved accordingly,” says Friedrich Schmidhuber of the Salzburg traffic police.

 

Dressed in dark: visible up to 25 meters away

According to traffic experts, pedestrians dressed in dark clothing can be seen up to a maximum of 25 meters in time at night. Light-colored clothing or neon colors barely double this distance, but only with reflective material are passers-by up to 140 meters visible.

 

Police: Older people have some catching up to do

While this has worked for young people for years, adults have some catching up to do here. “Older people in particular massively underestimate this risk. Also, dark clothing is often worn, which makes the situation even worse,” says Schmidhuber. Often pedestrians would not be aware of the fact that outside a local area it is mandatory to use the left side of the street or, if available, the banquet.

 

Tip: light-colored clothing, safety vests, warning tapes

According to the police, it would be easy to be seen by drivers even in the dark. The police recommend consciously wearing light-colored clothing in the dark months and putting reflective vests or reflective tapes on the upper arms.