Illuminated cellphone or white shirts will certainly save life on the night road. You should buy proper reflective elements, ideally as wide as possible in light colors. But there are also huge differences between them – the ability to reflect light is the best of them compared to the last sixty.
A Formula 1 pilot takes approximately a quarter of a second to respond to an unexpected stimulus. The average driver is four times slower. When driving in the evening tired of work or agitated by the thick snowstorm, his reaction time is even longer. Now imagine what happens if a chauffeur meets an “invisible” pedestrian on the road in such conditions and mood.
Usually tragically, as statistics show. For example, over 130 pedestrians died last year, 60 percent of whom were killed at night.
Complete test results of reflective tapes can be found here
Therefore, according to the amendment to the Road Act, from February, pedestrians are obliged to wear so-called retro-reflective elements if they move on an unlit road outside the village in dark, dark, heavy rain, snowfall or in a tunnel.
So if in low visibility your life may depend on a plastic bracelet that stands like one black coffee on an elder, the question is: Are they all of the equal quality?
That is why the MF DNES Test had 26 reflective tapes tested together with BESIP. We bought them in various places – in shops, post offices, petrol stations, and e-shops. The measurement of retro-reflection, ie the intensity with which the strips reflect light, was taken by the accredited laboratory of the Transport Research Center.
The brightest yellow is visible
At first glance, the tapes on both ends of the quality scale look virtually the same – light green, plastic, retractable. “It is not the color of the tape, but the quantity and density of the special glass mass that provides light reflection in the tape,” explains Martin Farar, Principal of BESIP. However, this is difficult to recognize from outside.
The first advice on how to choose the right reflective tape is, according to Farář, “Be sure that the tape meets the standard.”
It means standard EN 471 or new 20471. Refer to the tape packaging or the enclosed instructions. However, as the test has shown, the quality of retroreflection is not necessarily directly related to the quality of the information reported. That is why the pastor recommends considering color.
“We recommend the color is bright yellow, which is best visible, and then red or green,” says BESIP chief.
Although the red color of the reflective complies with the technical standard, it is still better to choose the lightest shade – which is also confirmed by the test results. In the first half of the ladder, there was no red, not even an orange band, but five of the last eight were the same color.
“Ideal is white and silver, where no color is applied to reduce reflection. Because the color will partially absorb the light that falls on it, the darker the strip will be, the less it will shine,” explains Lukáš Pejpal of 3M Technology Company, which develops and produces reflective materials.
The third piece of advice in choosing the tape is purely practical, that is, try to get the widest reflective strip.
And when you have the option, choose a proven dealer to purchase. It is ideal to get the tape directly with the BESIP logo, and two products from the Czech Post offer were among the three best.
The handbag won’t help you. Where to go with her?
It would be best for your safety if the reflective elements follow the contour of your figure, both front, and rear. But who would like to go out of the pub or date in a reflective vest in the evening?
“We place the reflective tape in the direction of the road, ie on the right side of the body, on the ankle or wrist,” says Martin Farrar.
However, if you have only one tape available, it is better to place it on your ankle. “The car’s headlights shine from below, illuminating the ankle tape before the wrist,” says BESIP manager. If you have a reflective strap attached to your wrist, then be careful not to cover it with your sleeve.
If you feel that a lighted cell phone, for example, will do the same good work as a reflective strap, remember that you not only fail to comply with the legal obligation but most of all risk the phone running down and the driver not seeing you.
Conversely, if you want to underline the effect of reflection, you can brighten in the dark or rain clothes with fluorescent colors. This does not ensure light reflection, but it increases the distance the driver can see.
Every extra meter counts
Even though it looks like a merchant’s recalculation of every inch, it’s not an unnecessary petty thing. Every extra meter available to the driver to brake or safely avoid you counts on unlit roads.
Therefore, be aware that pedestrians with visible reflective material elements will be recorded by the driver at a distance of 200 meters. At 65 km / h, he has enough time to identify the potential danger, decide exactly what to do, maneuver and finish it comfortably.
In dark clothing, the distance you can see at the side of the road shrinks to just 18 meters. At the same speed, the car shines in a second. “The driver has practically no chance to react to the pedestrians in front of him and safely avoid it,” emphasizes Martin Farář.
And we’re still talking about the speed that few people drag outside the village. At a speed of 90 kilometers per hour, the chauffeur needs a minimum of 90 meters for safe passage of pedestrians.