Winter time has just started and it gets dark very early, which doesn't always suit us, and adaptation time is necessary. But if there is something we cannot adapt to, it is an accident because of the low light. As pedestrians and as cyclists, children are the most vulnerable on the roads, especially during the winter months, with less daylight hours.
A frequent cause of outrage is poor visibility, which caused 25 victims under the age of 14 and more than 200 seriously injured last year. To prevent these accidents, the Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE) has just launched in Spain the “Let You See” campaign, promoted by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
This is a campaign promoted by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) that has also started in 14 other countries with the slogan #dejatever (#staybright) to alert children of the need to become well visible during this winter in crossings of streets and roads through the correct use of reflective vests.
And is that the figures of low visibility accidents they are not negligible: in Europe there are 800 minors who die annually when they are hit and 100,000 injured. The campaign has Formula 1 drivers such as Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Felipe Massa or Nico Rosberg as ambassadors, whom we can see in social networks supporting it.
The objective is to teach children the importance of wearing these vests when they circulate, as pedestrians or cyclists, through areas with low lighting to be seen by drivers. It is explained in a simple way, through videos, comics ... how to stay safe on the road, especially at night and when the weather and visibility conditions are worse.
It is easy to understand how, with poor visibility, a driver will not see a pedestrian or cyclist until he is ten meters away, insufficient to react in time and avoid an accident. With the use of a reflective vest, the visibility distance is extended considerably and with it the reaction time.
Among the ten WHO strategies to preserve the safety of children on the roads is precisely this, to improve the sight and visibility of children. They advise to wear clear clothes and use retroreflective tapes on clothing or in items such as backpacks, among other recommendations.
For example, self-reflecting vests in "pedestrian buses" on the way to school, or in guards that monitor crossings and passages around schools ... and use front lights on bicycles as well as front reflective parts would also be important , rear and on the wheels ... Anyway, everything possible to make children more visible and less vulnerable to accidents.
So we know, when making excursions, walking or cycling, not only must take into account the conditions of the terrain or weather, also the time that we are going to do and, being forecasters, put reflective vests and flashlights in the backpack.
Official Site | Stay bright
In Babies and more | Child accident or injury? Both can be prevented. Going to school is safe if the road is safe.
