In the darker months of the year, children must be visible in traffic. Rain or fog creates additional dangers on the roads. With these tips, your children are safe on the move in autumn and winter.
Reflective material increases visibility in the dark;
A safety vest must meet standard EN ISO 20471 or EN 1150;
The school satchel must meet the DIN 58124 standard.
Children are particularly at risk in the autumn and winter months: in bad weather and the dark, they are often barely visible to drivers – especially not if they are not wearing light-colored, reflective materials. A dark-clad pedestrian can only be recognized by a driver from a distance of around 25 meters in poor visibility. For comparison: the stopping distance of a car in an emergency braking from 50 km / h is about 28 meters – too long to come to a stop in time in an emergency in front of a road user at risk.
However, if a pedestrian wears clothing with reflective materials,
visibility improves up to 140 meters.
When buying reflective material, pay attention to the norm
If you are out and about in the dark, you should wear shoes and jackets with integrated reflective material. A safety vest is worn over clothing also
significantly increases visibility. The material must meet the EN ISO 20471 or EN 1150 standards. There are also reflectors for sewing and gluing. When buying a school satchel, parents should make sure that it complies with the DIN 58124 standard.
If you cycle to work or school, you should also check the lights on the bike and attach the required reflectors. You can find more information about roadworthy bicycles here.
Mutual consideration
Drivers can also help improve road safety by adapting their driving style to the visibility and driving more slowly. Visibility can also be significantly improved with clean windscreens and headlights as well as functional wiper blades.
Tips from the ADAC Foundation for a safe journey to school
In addition to reflectors on clothing, school bags, and bicycles,
groups of joggers, for example, are a good way for schoolchildren to get to school safely. A group of up to 12 children, accompanied by one or two adults, walk to school together in the morning.