Tag: reflective ribbon

Half of the reflective tapes sold do not have the required properties!

Reflective ribbons to wear pedestrians under reduced visibility outside the village do not always fulfill their function. It is claimed by the Czech Trade Inspection, according to which half of the samples sold do not have the required properties. The light does not reflect enough and the driver cannot see the pedestrian in time.

“The Czech Trade Inspectorate inspected 37 reflective tapes, out of which 33 found violations of the law. Most often it was the fact that reflective tapes do not have enough retro-reflective materials, “said Czech Trade Inspector Jami Froehlich.

“The difference in quality between these tapes may be up to sixty times. If they are poor, we are 60 times worse off seeing the person moving outside the illuminated area, “Igor, spokeswoman for Central Automobile Club (UAMK), said.

Inspectors for the sale of poor-quality reflective tapes awarded fines to businesses worth a total of 300 thousand crowns. It was also the Czech Post that had to sell it, but it sold a good but unmarked CE symbol.

“Of course, we paid the fine with the fact that we were claiming the tapes at our supplier. He added the correctly marked tapes and paid us the fine, “Czech Post Spokesperson Mayes Vatic said.

And even if you have a high-quality reflective tape, it’s important that you place it in a visible place. Best on the hand and foot towards the road.

The reflective tape is not a reflective tape

Duty to have reflective elements of clothing is in the law since this February. There are still many tragic accidents with “invisible” pedestrians. Most pedestrians did not have any reflective elements. But as BESIP pointed out, some reflective tapes that pedestrians can take do not work as well as they should.

Crossing the reflective ribbon is one of the ways to meet the requirements newly imposed by the Road Act on pedestrians who go in low visibility outside of the village. However, according to the BESIP Department of the Ministry of Transport, not all tapes are the same.

Correctly, they should be seen at 200 meters. “There are also cases where the material works only at a distance of 60 to 70 meters,” said Martin Farrar, director of BESIP. How well the reflex tape should be seen should be a leaflet. Marking directly on the tape. The elements are complying with the European standard EN 13356 are well visible.

In addition to the visibility of the tape itself, the role and location of the tape itself are also played. The look may seem best placed on the sleeve. But it is not so from a safety point of view. The car’s reflectors shine to the ground, so they can see their legs first. The reflective belt on the leg is, therefore, the most effective solution that really guarantees the visibility of the pedestrian up to 200 meters.

Reflective strips this year, police and BESIP employees handed over 300 thousand. Yet many pedestrians still do not use it. For example, during a traffic safety action that took place last week in Suit nod Labem, police officers checked 193 pedestrians, 111 of whom were “invisible”.

For the time being, police officers are usually able to do so. But according to the law, people who do not use reflective vests when they go off the road outside the village under reduced visibility, up to a fine of two thousand dollars.

Reflective tapes were seniors and children

“Better preventively increase security than wait for something to happen,” says Vera, forty-eight, while putting on a reflective tape on the sleeve of her coat.

 

Just like a number of other seniors and children, the free-of-charge reflexive tapes distributed to the city police at the crossings in yesterday. “Every night when I come home in the dark, I have to go along a road where there is no walkway and public lighting is weak,” she explained her fears of crashing car-working pensioner.

 

From grandchildren he knows that clothes that are equipped with reflective elements from the manufacturer are already being sold, but it is only for the young generation. “It’s expensive, too,” said the senior woman, so yesterday’s “gift” of tape sleeved officers so immensely appreciated. “I’m going to feel safer on the way now,” she smiled with a noticeable calming voice.

 

The police officers know this, and the evidence is sad.

One such happened at the end of last year. Without any reflexive elements in dark clothes, a thirty-five-year-old pedestrian walked out, knocked by a twenty five year old driver. In the dark, the driver did not see the man at all.

 

“Obviously, he did not follow the situation sufficiently ahead of him and did not go so fast as to be able to stop at the distance he had before him. So, in order not to interfere with the obstacle or the person who would appear before him, “he described the sad event in which the pedestrian, regional police spokesman Alex died.

 

The alarming statistics of pedestrian crossings with cars were the main motive for the police officers, in cooperation with the municipality, to decide on the situation with the observance of the principles of road safety for pedestrians.

Therefore, a traffic-safety event took place yesterday morning, giving away to the children who went to school at the crossing of the reflective ribbon. “We are currently responding to pedestrian and especially children’s wear, which is often dark and without reflective elements. It is easily overlooked for reduced visibility,” Milan, the director of Milan’s municipal police, approached.

 

Besides children, elderly people and seniors received the straps. “These are the groups of people who are most vulnerable to traffic on the roads,” added Milan.

“I’m so glad that something is done for the safety of children,” said Zeneca, a police assistant, who accompanied her children to school in the morning, complaining that she was busy in the morning around the school where her children are going, so she is grateful for the morning Supervision of municipal police patrols at schools.

The kids liked the tapes and put them on. “It’s great,” said Makita and Sarah, the schoolgirl, and he was very interested in the tape, “I think it’s good, especially in the shade of a walk, we will certainly use it,” said husband.

 

“It’s great to see us at least. We use reflective elements, and children have them on clothes and briefcases, “said Mother Petra.

“I use a flashlight because most of the year I live in a cottage at Resave and I’m always on my way. This is new and I’m glad I got it, “added Hrbek.

The event was also acclaimed by the regional coordinator BESIP. “The more people use the safety reflective elements, the better. It will certainly have a positive impact on pedestrian safety and accident reduction, “he said.

 

Be well visible at night, avoid injury and fine

For pedestrians there is already a duty to be safely seen while walking along the road. Sometimes Just a few reflective elements that can save your life and help you avoid the fines.

 

See and mainly be seen. This is the motto of the amendment to the Act on Road Traffic, which has brought many changes since Saturday not only for drivers but also for pedestrians. From now on, they would not have gone out of the village under reduced visibility in a place that is not illuminated, coming out without a reflective element on clothing. Otherwise, two thousand shall be taken from the wallet, in the administrative proceedings up to two and a half.

A series of tests showed that the figure in dark clothing is visible to the driver of the arriving vehicle at only 18 meters, in white clothing already at 55 meters and with reflective markings already at 200 meters, which is enough distance for a safe escape maneuver.

 

The novel of the law is also welcomed by the young driver Katarina, who has met unimaginably “invisible” pedestrians. “I think the introduction of the reflective material is the right thing, I have seen myself several times that I was a pedestrian at the county road almost overlooked And I have something to do to prevent it from happening, certainly because of this duty to avoid accidents, and even the pedestrian is taken as a legitimate road user, so it should bear the consequences if it causes something, “he thinks.

 

See you?

Police officers have been targeting pedestrians since the autumn of 2015. Since then, more than 100,000 reflective tapes have been handed out to unmarked pedestrians. The Tabor policemen took part in the “We see” national prevention event, for example, on February 11, when they handed out bags with reflective stripe and reflective tapes to passers-by at the Kurland shopping center.

 

Even though the amendment to the law came into force already last Saturday, unmarking pedestrians still do not have to be scared yet. “It will be a misdemeanor but we will still explain to the pedestrians why we need to wear reflective tapes and if we have some of them, we will continue to give them away,” South Bohemian police spokesman Double.

 

However, all pedestrians also recommend that they take care of their safety and wear reflexive elements in cities where there is poor lighting, driving cars and cyclists. One simply has to light up and the other light reflects.

For pedestrians walking along the left side of the road, it is ideal to wear a reflective ribbon on the right hand or foot, which will be directed to the road and an anti-rushing car, will illuminate it. “It is necessary for the pedestrian really to go to the left, so that the passing driver does not shine in his back, but in the face. Cyclists should ideally have tapes on both ankles. The belt not only holds the trouser legs but also has the advantage of being seen from all sides, “explains Double.

You do not have to invest in the variety of reflexes if you already own some sportswear or neon-colored shoes.