The days are getting shorter and more and more people are moving in the outdoors and in traffic when the darkness sets. Then it is important to think of being visible.

 

“The most common mistake is that you overestimate their visibility and embark on the belief that you are visible,” says Camilla Samuelsson, intervention police in the local police area Ängelholm.

The reflex can be cheap insurance and Camilla Samuelsson believes she sees more and more wearing a reflective vest.

 

“I imagine that those who are used to going out at these times have another thought. But on the whole you are probably poor at taking on, perhaps especially in the urban environment where it is illuminated and you think that the lighting helps one to be seen,” says Camilla.

 

Among the teenagers, Camilla sometimes hears that it is nonsense to wear a reflective vest. Just as it is nonsense to use a bicycle helmet. To pop up the reflex by designing, for example, reflective jackets, she believes can be important for getting a certain target group to start using reflections and realize risks.

 

“If you, as a parent, do not have reflexes, the children do not. It is also very important, how we affect each other,” says Camilla.

 

At Junibacken’s preschool, the educators believe that the influence can take place in the other direction and that the children bring the behavior home to the parents.

 

“Targeting children was a choice we made, it should be started on time. It is a good target group that can influence the parents,” says Ingvar Johansson, office manager.

 

Preschool Junibacken has received reflexes, but more preschools have the opportunity to get vests. Ingvar Johansson announces first come, first served.

 

“That’s really good. We are sometimes bad at using the reflective vest with reflective tape, but this is like a kick at the end,” says Lisa Karstorp, an educator at Junibacken preschool.

 

Do you ever talk about the importance of reflexes?

“If we see that one of the children has reflections on the clothes, we emphasize it and talk about why it is important,” says Lisa Karstorp.

Police Camilla Samuelsson has no evidence that the number of accidents increases in the autumn. She believes that there are different risks for each season.

 

What to think about if you go out and go in the dark?

“Having reflexes. If you do not want a large vest then you should set the reflections low for the motorist often have the gaze directed low. A hanging reflex can also be good, then it is something that moves and catches the attention. Don’t assume that the motorist sees you, even if you have reflexes, there are many inferior drivers in the traffic, so be attentive,” says Camilla.

 

Going out by bike applies other regulations. As long as the cycle is conducted, the rules apply to pedestrians. But as soon as you jump on the bike, it counts as a vehicle.

 

Then the traffic rules apply, such as having to stop at red lights and show the direction of travel. One should keep to the right and not be allowed to ride the sidewalk.

 

If the requirements for which lighting and which reflectors a bicycle should be equipped with, it cannot be met. If one of the lamps/reflexes is missing or they are out of order, it costs SEK 500. Should it simply be that the lamp is not switched on, it also costs SEK 500. The police currently have no explicit action against cyclists. Previously, the police have informed the public about which rules it is that applies to then go out and make an effort in reality.

 

Then we have been out and worked tonight and actually fined. Our ambition is to let us out once in the fall, then to what extent depends on the prevailing situation around. Then checks are made more or less on occasions when we have radio cars running outside and you discover these wrong behaviors.