Children urged to stay safe by wearing reflective clothing
- Sep 27, 2016
- EmmaArnold
A new campaign is encouraging children to wear reflective gear when cycling as we near the darker winter months.
'Stay Bright', which focuses on children walking and cycling to school, was launched at the FIA Foundation 'Safe Road to School' conference.
More than 800 child pedestrians and cyclists are killed and 100,000 injured every year in Europe making young people among the most vulnerable road users.
Amber Mitchell, personal injury solicitor at PotterReesDolan, said:
Children can be harder to spot than the average adult cyclist as they are generally smaller and sit lower in the road on their bikes so wearing the right clothing and lighting equipment to make them as bright and visible as possible can only increase their safety.
At this time of year with the nights drawing in earlier, it is all too easy to get caught short if your journey takes a little longer than expected or even if there is just a patch of bad weather causing a black cloud blocking out the light temporarily – an all too frequent problem for those of us who live in Manchester.
To combat this risk, it is a good idea to take out your reflective gear and lights even when you think you will get your cycle journey completed in daylight hours. If your children learn these habits now, they are likely to continue with them in the future allowing them to cycle safely on the roads for years to come.
Supported by a host of Formula One drivers, including Jenson Button (pictured), the campaign uses animation, posters and a comic to show children how to stay safe.
Volunteers from IAM RoadSmart will get involved here in the UK by handing out reflective key rings and stickers to 2,500 school children.
The campaign aims to reach children by explaining how to use the road in a simple and understandable way as well as highlighting the dangers of road safety in the evenings.