Study Reveals the Importance of reflective clothing for cyclists

Posted by jennycooper on May 27th, 2014

According to a research study in an Australian university, cyclists could expose themselves to the danger of getting hit by a car by not wearing reflective clothing for cyclists. This is more likely to happen in poor light conditions, such as during early morning or after dusk. Besides, it was also suggested that you must wear reflective and not highly-visible clothing to be seen easily in the dark. The followed guide sheds light on the importance of such vests for cyclists.

The research has made a suggestion to cyclists that you must wear light-coloured and reflective clothing for cyclists that will make it easier for others to see you during daytime and nighttime. It has also been recommended to wear reflective gears such as ankle or arm bands and belts along with such clothing. The study was conducted on almost 200 subjects, who were cyclists involved in some type of accident with a car. The response recorded revealed that most of the time the driver was looking out but he/she couldn’t see the cyclist within a safe distance to avoid a collision.

The researchers further found that most of the collisions took place in poor-light conditions such as at night, dawn or dusk. They further made a statement that cyclists would be making themselves highly vulnerable if they will not be making themselves visible to drivers. In fact, many drivers’ claims of inability to see the cyclists because of poor choice of clothing or because the sun was shining into their eyes helped them defend themselves in the court. This study gives you enough reasons why you must be wearing reflective clothing for cyclists.

It is worth noting that the study found that more than 60% of the cyclists claimed that the collision was caused because of the driver’s inattentiveness. Even more interestingly, just 2 of the subjects agreed that the accident occurred because they were not wearing reflective clothing for cyclists. Thus, the researchers emphasised the need for cyclists to take their own visibility seriously to ensure their own safety rather than blaming the drivers.

It was also revealed that use of fluorescent clothes may not be the best option because they require UV rays to become reflective. This means they may not work in utter darkness. The researchers eventually concluded that it is important to wear reflective clothing for cyclists and complement it with reflective strips in different body parts. The more the pedalling movement becomes visible, the better the chance that driers could notice the cyclist.

Besides wearing reflective clothing for cyclists, it is also important that you have proper lights on your bike. The combination of the two can enable drivers to recognise you well in advance to prevent a collision. So whether you are a professional or a fitness freak who loves to ride the bike at dusk or dawn, make sure to implement the findings from the above-mentioned study. Keep in mind that dawn and dusk are especially dangerous times, so never take a chance to go out without proper clothing.

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