Beware of autumn and its shorter days, more dangerous on the road

Road safety estimates that nearly half of pedestrians killed each year are killed between October and January.

A little reminder for motorists: pedestrians have priority on the pedestrian crossing! In the car, therefore, we slow down, because the darkness can prevent us from spotting a pedestrian who is about to cross. So we take our time, at the beginning of autumn. It is also a good time to have the car checked: check the windshield wipers, the adjustment of the lights and the air conditioning, which allows the windows to be defogged. Without this, or with dirty windows, there are reflections that prevent us from seeing pedestrians properly.

We are now interested in those who ride bicycles or scooters. And who also have obligations, to be clearly visible: a white light at the front, a red light at the back… What we call reflectors, you know, these are small plates that reflect light. They are required at the front, at the back, on the sides and on the pedals of the bicycle. A safety vest is mandatory on a scooter, everywhere, at night, on a bicycle, only outside built-up areas. But in reality, everyone should wear one, when visibility is poor. Like a helmet: not mandatory for adults, neither on a bicycle nor on a scooter, but highly recommended. Moreover, for scooters, it is worth matching it with a light at the back: as the Road Safety Association explains, the rear light is very low and therefore not very visible to other road users.

And pedestrians? What should they do, apart from being very careful? Put together an appropriate autumn/winter wardrobe. At night, if you are dressed in black, you are visible to a car with its headlights on at only 28 metres. That is about the distance it needs to stop, when it is travelling at 50 km/h. But if you are properly equipped, you become visible 5 times earlier. The ideal outfit is light-coloured, or colourful, or even better, fluorescent clothing. This allows you to be clearly seen at this critical moment of the day, between dog and wolf.

And for the dark night, we add reflective accessories. Gloves, an armband, the famous yellow vest (which also exists in orange and green, by the way). There are even reflective dog collars. You can also buy stickers that you stick on your schoolbag, backpack, coat that allow you to be seen, in the light of a car. You can find them online or in sports stores in particular, plain or patterned. The armband or sticker sheet costs around 5 euros.