Visibility study 22

63% of pedestrians are not visible in road traffic

63 Prozent der Fußgänger sind im Straßenverkehr erst auf einer Entfernung von 25 Meter sichtbar.

(Bild: Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit (KFV))

The latest visibility study for 2022 once again reveals alarming figures. According to the Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV), every second pedestrian killed in the past five years died due to poor visibility. But how can you improve your visibility?

Pedestrians are the weakest road users in traffic. In the event of a collision, it is not a question of who was at fault, but who is more vulnerable, so it is in your own interest to be visible to others. Klaus Robatsch, Head of Road Safety, sums up the advantages of being visible to other road users: "Pedestrians wearing reflective clothing can be recognized by a car from a distance of around 140 metres in the dark or when visibility is poor. If they are wearing bright, high-contrast clothing, they can be seen from around 40 meters away. In dark clothing without reflectors, on the other hand, they will only be spotted when they are only around 25 meters away."

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What percentage of pedestrians are seen in time by road users?
According to statistics, 21 percent of pedestrians have reflectors on their clothing and are therefore quickly noticed. 16 percent wear light-colored clothing but no reflectors. 63 percent of pedestrians are very difficult to see due to their dark clothing and lack of reflectors. 

The situation is the same for cyclists:
27 percent have sufficient reflectors on their clothing and/or accessories (not including bicycles) 13 percent wear light-colored clothing but no reflectors and 60 percent are poorly visible. 

Tips for better visibility in road traffic

• All-round reflection of the outfit - also visible from the side when crossing roads
• Chooseschool bags and rucksacks in eye-catching colors - attach reflective elements!
• Wearreflective materials at the height of the dipped beam scattering angle - children should reflect from their hoods to their shoes
• Cyclists should reflect from the helmet to the spokes - Switch on front and rear lights in poor visibility!
• Drivers should choose an appropriate speed when visibility is poor
• Only crossbusy roads at safe places
• If there is no sidewalk, pedestrians must use the left-hand side of the road on open roads

Every year, around 10,000 observations are recorded throughout Austria on the basis of the surveys. "Bright reflective clothing can save lives, as it reduces the risk of accidents by almost 50 percent," appeals Klaus Robatsch.