Autumn darkness can be fatal – don a reflex!

Even at a distance of just 40 metres the difference with and without reflex is large. With a reflex you are visible! (Photo: NAF)

Autumn darkness can be fatal – don a reflex!

Autumn dark and wet roads, a driver with poor vision and pedestrian without reflex is potentially a lethal combination.

  

– We know that older drivers see much less in the dark than younger people. Don a reflex – It’s a cheap life insurance, says Communications Manager in Norges Automobil-Forbund (NAF), Camilla Ryste.

The vision changes with age and increases the risk of accidents. As a 60-years-old, you’ve lost more than half of your night vision compared to a 20-years-old.

– Impaired vision in combination with autumn darkness can lead to dangerous traffic situations. The “soft” road users, pedestrians and cyclists are particularly vulnerable. Using a reflex reduces the risk of being hit by a car by 85 per cent, says Ryste.

§ 3: Basic rules for traffic

There are clear rules for how both motorists, pedestrians and cyclists should act to avoid dangerous traffic situations.

Exert from the Norwegian Road Traffic Act:

“Everyone must be careful and be alert so that there is no danger or damage and that other traffic is not unnecessarily hindered or disturbed.”

This means that the soft road users must be visible and those who are driving must adjust their speed to the limited vision.

Everyone in Norway owns a reflex but does not use it

It should be as natural to wear a reflex when walking or cycling, as it is wearing a seat belt when driving a car. The driver must have a chance to see you when you go for a walk in the dark months.

– More than 90 per cent use a seat belt, and the target must be that as many wear a reflex. It’s about making this a natural part of what to do when you’re going to walk in the dark, Ryste continues.

– Reflexes are equally important in the cities where street lighting is like that on dark country roads.

How to be as visible as possible?

The best visibility is achieved by donning a reflex vest.  If you use other types of reflexes, it should dangle at knee height so that it captures the most light from the headlights when you are out walking. If you don a reflex on either side, you will also be more visible.

– Every driver’s nightmare is colliding with a pedestrian. Let’s work together and make ourselves visible when we’re out on the road, Ryste concludes.

 

© Norges Automobil-forbund / #Norway Today