Reduced visibility
You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand that when road visibility is reduced, the risk of a road collision increases.
Visibility can be poor in all seasons, but the risk is much higher in winter when snow, ice and glare from the sun prevent drivers from seeing obstacles clearly.
In fact, did you know that more than one-third of annual pedestrian fatalities occur in winter? In addition, in cold weather, pedestrians tend to wear dark clothing and darkness is more prevalent since night falls early in winter! This combo makes pedestrians less visible to drivers and increases their risk of being struck.
Recommendations
What can you change about your behaviour to not fall within these pedestrian mortality statistics? First, as a pedestrian, avoid dressing in black from head to toe. Wearing dark colours in the dark or in harsh weather conditions makes you all the more vulnerable to a collision. Instead, consider wearing retro-reflective gear. We know – it’s not always super trendy, but Karl Lagerfeld did it… and he’s a designer!
Unlike countries such as Spain or France, Canada has not yet introduced legislation requiring pedestrians to wear high-visibility clothing. It’s up to you to start the trend!
Of course we’re not asking you to wrap yourself in aluminum foil! Start with a simple retro-reflective tape on your arm, for example. These strips are particularly effective when worn on the legs, feet, arms and wrists, because they effectively highlight body movements [1]. While at night pedestrians are only visible at a distance of 30 metres, this figure rises to 150 metres if you wear retro-reflective equipment [2]. This is a significant difference that gives the driver enough time to react before a collision occurs.
Retro-reflective tape can literally save your life. (As long as you don’t walk with your eyes glued to your cell phone).
