Reflective stickers are recommended for walkers and prams

Being visible from a distance increases safety

Dec 05, 2024 Safety on the road / Automotive

DEKRA accident analysts: Late recognition often leads to accidents
Particularly in fall and winter, stopping distances can exceed 100 feet
Retro-reflective elements make a significant difference

Whether or not pedestrians are easily seen is a key factor in road safety. People who wear light-colored, high-contrast clothing can be seen much earlier by other road users than those with dark, low-contrast clothes. DEKRA accident experts recommend retro-reflective elements. For older people, for example those who use wheeled walkers, these elements can be attached directly to the walking aid. They can also be used to make prams more visible.

“In accident analysis reports prepared by DEKRA, the question of whether a driver would have been able to see a pedestrian in a specific situation often plays a crucial role,” says DEKRA accident researcher Stefanie Ritter. “We have compiled meaningful empirical values from a large number of specific investigations into individual cases.”

It has been shown that – in right-hand traffic – pedestrians crossing from the left are often exceedingly difficult to see. “Asymmetrical low beam lights illuminate the right-hand side of the road more clearly, but on the left-hand side, the illumination is often insufficient to detect a person in good time,” says the DEKRA expert. “On top of that, there are the headlights of oncoming vehicles, which often render pedestrians, especially those wearing dark clothing, almost invisible.”

On wet roads, which are particularly common during the darker months of the year, stopping distances of more than 100 feet cannot be ruled out when the speed limit is 30 mph. “This means that, in order to be able to react to a pedestrian in time, it is necessary to be able to see them from a distance of more than 100 feet,” says Stefanie Ritter.

The recommendation to all pedestrians is therefore: “Wear high-contrast clothing at dusk or in the dark and use retro-reflective elements that can be purchased as ribbons, clips or neck straps for small amounts of money.” The DEKRA accident researcher has an extra tip for older people: “Wheeled walkers can also be made much more visible and therefore safer with retro-reflective stickers.”

DEKRA accident analysts have evaluated the visibility of a walker equipped in this way in visibility tests. The person was clearly visible from more than 130 feet when crossing from both the left and the right. The adhesive material, which was attached to the braces, also ensured that the shape of the walker was recognizable from a distance. “This is also helpful for other road users because they know at an early stage that they are dealing with a person with limited mobility who will react differently than a young, mobile person,” says the DEKRA expert.

Retro-reflective elements can also be used to make prams more visible. “Some manufacturers already attach such materials in production, but more can always be done – and with little effort for a significant increase in safety.”

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