Until now, the provisions of the Road Traffic Act required reflective elements to be worn only by people under 15. Now the legislator has extended this requirement to everyone, regardless of age, who travels outside a built-up area after dark.
The regulations provide for an exception: a pedestrian may travel after dark outside a built-up area without reflective elements if they are on a road intended exclusively for pedestrians or on a pavement. The new provision does not apply in a residential zone—in such areas, pedestrians may use the entire width of the road and have priority over vehicles.
Reflective elements may include items attached to clothing, bands, vests and lanyards. Their placement is important: reflectors are recommended at knee and hand height, around the middle of the chest and on the back—this ensures that they are clearly visible to other road users.
It is worth remembering that after dark, a pedestrian wearing dark clothing is visible to a vehicle driver from a distance of about 40 metres. By contrast, a pedestrian wearing reflective elements becomes visible from as far as 150 metres. These additional metres allow the driver to brake and safely pass the pedestrian.
The justification for the bill amending the Road Traffic Act stressed that the cost of reflective elements is negligible, whereas the costs of treating accident victims, not including material losses, are considerably higher and difficult to estimate. The new provision does not burden the state budget, but it may save the lives of many road users.
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mg/Komenda Główna Policji/ii