DriveSmartBC - Just Because You Can See...
 

Few people leave their homes without paying some attention to how they are dressed. When we use our clothing to say "Look at me!" are we really thinking about how we will appear to other road users when we are pedestrians after dark? The right choice of dress prior to your next walk in the dark could be critical!

About two thirds of pedestrian fatalities occur at night. This is probably because research indicates that pedestrians can be dangerously inconspicuous to drivers after dark. A pedestrian in dark clothing at night will not be seen in time to stop if the driver is using low beam headlights and traveling faster than 60 km/h.

We tend to underestimate that we are difficult to see in the dark. Visual recognition ability degrades rapidly with falling light levels and drivers need it to find and identify pedestrians. Visual guidance abilities such as walking through a darkened room remain effective, lulling us into thinking that we are more visible than we really are. Critically, we may overestimate by as much as triple the safe distance.

How do you increase your chances of being seen and be identified as a pedestrian? A reflective vest is better than dark clothing, but reflective material positioned at the major joints of the body (ankles, knees, waist, shoulders, elbows and wrists) is even better. This will show "biological motion" and allow the driver to decide "human" far more quickly.

Reference Links

Other Articles of Interest

Canadian Road Safety News Digest

Video - Emergency Vehicles & Roundabouts

+1

10x times when it's raining too. Please dress smart!

The first thing I noticed when driving at night here was how invisible pedestrians are. Vancouverites seem to like wearing dark coloured clothing, maybe cause it rains so much and rain coats/umbrellas tend to be dull colours, or cause many women wear black lululemon pants (not that I'm complaining :)).

Combine that with Vancouver pedestrian entitlement of walking without looking, and I'm surprised there's not more pedestrians killed in this city.

I've never understood why so many pedestrians wear all black at night. Especially when they're not going to a club.. I'll admit I've almost run several people over who were dressed like this.

What's worse is I've almost ran over pedestrians dressed in black on a rainy night jaywalking!

This thread has given me an idea...

Pedestrian light belts: A belt you wear with headlamps, tail lamps and turn signals. I'm gonna make millions. :)