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Reflective belt safety
Posted 8/27/2009 Updated 8/27/2009
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by Francisco Toste
65th Medical Group
8/27/2009 - LAJES FIELD, Azores -- Summer is almost gone and autumn is around the corner; days will get shorter and nights longer. Because of this, a lot of activities will have to be conducted in times of darkness.
This situation increases the risks associated with these activities. It is more difficult to see one another during these times of darkness, especially in unlit parking lots and outside work areas such as portions of the flight line.
To help reduce these risks, the Air Force has mandated that reflective belts be worn by all military members in uniform during hours of limited visibility. The use of these reflective belts is an easy way to increase pedestrian visibility for vehicle traffic in poorly lit areas.
Reflective belts are required to be worn 360 degrees around the waist when in uniform during periods of darkness. A yellow reflective belt provides the greatest visibility.
Below you will find some proven facts that will help you understand why the Air Force mandated the use of reflective belts and will encourage you to follow the same requirements off-duty:
· Thousands of pedestrians are killed each year by motor vehicles. About 50% of these pedestrian fatalities occur during evening hours when visibility is reduced.
· Use of reflective gear: reflective vests, belts and wrist bands can increase your visibility by 200 percent, increasing the chance that drivers will see you before is too late.
· Light from a car's headlights bounces back from a reflective strip towards the driver. This makes the object brighter in low light situations.
· According to the National Highway traffic Safety Administration, a car traveling 57 miles per hour takes about 200 feet to stop. This is barely the nighttime visibility distance between a driver and a pedestrian wearing blue jeans with a white shirt. Retro-reflector personal protection equipment increases a pedestrian's visibility to at least 300 feet.
Finally, as we can see above, making ourselves more visible to drivers increases our safety; however we still need to use Personal Risk Management techniques to avoid traffic mishaps.
Have a Safe 101 Critical Days of Summer, and remember to be visible at dark hours! |
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