Change in the wintertime

On the night of this Saturday to Sunday, we will spend the wintertime. One hour less day, one hour more sleep. But especially: 47% increase in road accidents due to lack of brightness. For the Vélo-Cité association, what is important is "seeing and being seen".

In the night from Saturday to Sunday, it will be necessary to set back your clocks for one hour. Like every year, the changeover to winter time is synonymous with days that are getting shorter.

But not only: another less known consequence of the change of time is the increase in the number of accidents. Mainly those involving cyclists and pedestrians made less visible with a lack of brightness.

"In winter, the problem arises particularly since rush hours take place when it's dark," said Oriane Hommet, coordinator of the association Vélo-Cité.

Days are shorter and public lighting is not enough to make cyclists and pedestrians visible.

As a result, each year there is a 47% increase in bodily injuries for the only time slot 17h-19h, between October and November.

The recommendations

To protect yourself, "it is imperative to make yourself more visible when the night begins to fall," recommends Oriane Hommet. "You have to see and be seen, the minimum is to have wheel reflectors and reflectors on the pedals, to indicate its changes of direction."

"Maybe you can wear a reflective vest, and in the winter, we may tend to wear clothes that are duller colors than in summer, we blend more in the colors of the city. pay particular attention. "

"In 60% of accidents involving an automobile and a cyclist or pedestrian, the driver declares not to have seen the person," says the coordinator of the association Vélo-Cité. Hence the need to increase his vigilance.

How to transport ski equipment safely?

Ski equipment is quite difficult to transport due to its size. Often, the boards do not fit in the trunk, even in a station wagon. But even if we can hide the skis, this involves the loss of a certain part of the luggage area. It is true that many modern cars now have special solutions for transporting skis in the car. These holes in the back of the rear bench, through which you can extend the skis into the cabin.

If you are traveling with your family, you still need to pack your luggage, and in the case of a winter trip, it can be a lot, not to mention items such as ski boots or helmets. It all takes up a lot of space.

Therefore, it is better to use the so-called external solutions, like ski grips attached to roof rails or base beams. They can be the same beams that can be used to attach bicycle holders in summer. The so-called jaw grips, which consist of two parts: a fixed base (it is mounted to the base rack) and a movable cover. They allow you to transport 4 to 6 pairs of skis or snowboards. Due to the possibility of salt, sand or snow mud contaminating the equipment, this solution works better on short routes, although the skis can be protected with special covers. Also, choose handles that have a lock to prevent theft of skis.

"Skis should be mounted rearward facing, thanks to which aerodynamic drag will be lower. The vibration will also be smaller, which may cause loosening of the ski mounting handles," advises Radosław Jaskulski, a Skoda Auto School instructor.

As we have already mentioned, a winter skiing trip with the whole family means that apart from skis, other ski equipment and a lot of personal luggage are to be packed. Therefore, a better and safer way to transport equipment is the installation of a roof box. The roof box allows you to pack not only skis or a snowboard but also poles, boots, and ski clothing. Also, it guarantees that the luggage placed in it will be delivered dry and clean.

The box should be reinforced with metal rails. It is convenient if the cover lifts on gas cylinders, which makes it easy to open. A functional solution is also a central lock that bolts the lid in several points, and the ideal is a box that opens on two sides. It is good if the box is equipped with straps for securing luggage. Also, the aerodynamic shape of the box means that the cabin does not get the noise that the ski chuck generates.

"Roof boxes are designed to produce the least possible aerodynamic drag. However, you should be aware of the fact that they are an additional burden for the car. When choosing such a trunk, it is necessary to choose a specific car model and remember not to overload it," emphasizes Radosław Jaskulski.

Therefore, when choosing a roof box, it is best to match it at the authorized sales outlet of the brand. Then we receive a guarantee that such an element fits our car perfectly, both in terms of dimensions and safety.

For example, the Skoda brand offers roof boxes for all currently produced models of this brand. The boxes have standardized dimensions and fit every Skoda model.

The same goes for roof holders for the roof. It is not worth buying cheap accessories, the quality of which often leaves much to be desired. To make matters worse, mismatched components can damage the skis or even unfasten them while riding.

When choosing accessories useful during the winter skiing trip, it is also worth paying attention to the special trunk mats. They work when, for example, you need to transport ski boots in a trunk, which are just unfastened from the skis. The mat can be double-sided - on one side it is covered with fabric for everyday use, and on the other has a rubber surface resistant to water and dirt. Thanks to this, it can be easily washed under a running water stream.

However, for carrying the skis, as well as for transporting them, a special case made of reinforced material, closed with a zipper and equipped with handles will be useful.

When traveling to the mountains in winter, you also have to take snow chains. The word "obligatory" here should be taken literally because on some mountain roads in winter there is an obligation to use chains. Also when choosing chains, choose products designed for a specific car and recommended by its manufacturer.

"The chains should always be fitted to the drive axle, and in a four-wheel-drive car, the chains must be fitted to the front axle. Before leaving, it is a good idea to practice this activity several times to gain some practice," advises the Skoda Auto School instructor.

For a winter trip, items such as a tow rope, a flashlight or a reflective safety vest will also come in handy, not to mention a snow brush and a window scraper.

Road police officers handed out reflective vests

Officers of the Poviat Police Headquarters in Łowicz on Wednesday (April 17) carried out the campaign "Safe cycling season 2019". These were joint actions of the road and city authorities for the safety of cyclists, consisting of distributing reflective vests to cyclists.

On Wednesday morning, policemen from the Lowicz road concentrated their activities in those areas of the city on the Bzura, where many cyclists appear, in the area of ​​Starzyńskiego and Sikorskiego streets.

The activities aimed to improve the safety of unprotected road users by increasing their visibility. On that day cyclists encountered received reflective vests funded for the citizens of Łowicz by the city authorities. They were handed by Mayor Krzysztof Kaliński and the head of the traffic section Mariusz Kajewski.

"A total of 50 reflective vests were distributed," says Urszula Szymczak, spokesman for the Łowicz police. In a conversation with the drivers of two-wheelers, the police reminded us of road safety. Soon the action will be repeated.

The police encourage you to wear reflective vests with reflective fabrics not only in the evening but also during the day. Vests significantly improve the visibility of the cyclist and thus increase his safety on the road.

However, it should be remembered that the reflective vest does not release you from the obligation to properly light and equip your bicycle.

"Also, we remind you that in connection with the start of the cycling season, the popularity of this means of transport in the city and the thefts of two-wheelers emerging during this period, we are continuing the campaign of marking bikes started in last year in Łowicz," adds a policewoman.

Policemen from the Poviat Police Headquarters in Łowicz can mark a bicycle for anyone interested. Engraving and permanent stickers as well as creating a database of these two-wheelers will scare off bicycle thieves.

Dunlop on April 6th "National Tire Safety Check" at 47 venues nationwide

Sumitomo Rubber Industries will hold "Dunlop National Tire Safety Check" at 47 venues in 47 prefectures nationwide on April 6 from 10:00 to 14:00.

In this event, which will be in its 12th year in 2019, activities are carried out at roadside stations and shopping centers throughout Japan to prevent accidents caused by tires. In addition to checking the tire condition by checking the air pressure, remaining grooves, surface damage, of the tire installed in the car of the applicant, a clear file describing the importance of safety inspection of the tire is distributed to the driver Appeal the need for regular tire inspection and maintenance.

For those who have undergone safety inspections, a mask with a message on the package that reminds them of daily tire inspections is handed over, and for children, there is an original reflective material that helps to prevent traffic accidents by reflecting lights on the night road. Presented.

At this 21st event this time, more than 100,000 vehicles have been inspected (including the number of "in-store store tire inspection campaign" conducted in 2018). Excessive or insufficient tire pressure is found in about 30% of vehicles each time.

Hamamatsu children watching activities for the elderly

The Hamamatsu City Board of Education has begun a "Child Safety Network Promotion Project" in which elderly people and business operators watch over to protect children from incidents and accidents. As for elderly people, 122 people were registered by the end of September in a related project of the joint declaration "70-year-old active city" which aims to be a city where citizens can continue to be active even when they are 70 years old. This year, we will continue recruiting for 350 people.

In the city, school guard leaders and school safety volunteers continue to watch over. In addition to this new activity, the eyes will be increased throughout the region to strengthen the system.

A total of 122 people who registered for a watch-over activity by the elderly received a tag with a reflective tape and a name tag that says "Children watched". From the 23rd of July to the end of September, at the venue of the volunteer registration briefing that was held four times in the city, the person in charge of the City Board of Education introduced the activities. Many people received the application form and completed it on the spot. Briefing sessions will be held in the future, and the City Council will continue to call for registration.

The activities of senior citizens who became "child watching volunteers" have no fixed time and place, and "watch while watching" between walks, shopping, and gardening. The City Council encourages senior citizens to go out and expects safety benefits from reflective materials.

Eleven business operators, such as financial institutions and insurance companies, who agree with the purpose, will work as volunteers to watch over. Attach a magnetic sticker with the word "watching children" on the vehicle in the office to control crime. This year, 898 stickers were prepared and distributed to each business operator.

Supplementary budget for road safety measures

In May of this year, Aikawa Town conducted a safety inspection in the town following a traffic accident that killed 16 injured children in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. In response to this result, the town submitted a revised budget plan incorporating road safety measures to the town council's June meeting. Voting will take place at the plenary session on 14 June.

The town surveyed in May this year. The staff of the Residents Section and the Road Section conducted a visual survey of areas such as school roads, nursery schools, and places with heavy traffic.

Based on this result, the revised budget proposal submitted by the town to the parliament recorded 69.97 million yen as an "increase in traffic safety facility maintenance project costs". In this project, road lane markings will be repaired at 21 locations in the town with a total length of 5785m, 6 road reflectors will be added, and color paving will be performed on 61 square meters of school road in the town's Kashihara elementary school ward.

In addition to this, the supplementary budget bill has an estimated 257,000 yen for nursery school expenses.

This budget will purchase the best safety vests that can be worn by local nursery school children and nurses during outdoor activities. The aim is to prevent traffic accidents with a conspicuous color that is easy to see from the driver. The number of purchases is 420 for children and 100 for nursery school children so that all children can wear them.

Also, in the town, traffic safety measures are implemented from the current budget, especially at the most urgent intersections among the survey points. In addition to installing 20 stop poles in 7 locations in the town, a guard pipe 2m was installed in one location.

What are the most common pedestrian violations?

Various field campaigns were carried out at the Public Agency for Transport Safety (AVP) in cooperation with the municipal councils for prevention this October. Pedestrian awareness and alerting was carried out in more than 60 locations (at the most dangerous places) across Slovenia.

Pedestrians, traffic, intersection

In total, they have distributed more than 10,000 reflective tapes that can greatly improve visibility in traffic, which is communicated by the campaign Be VIDEN, be careful.

In October, a public pedestrian observation was carried out at the Public Agency for Traffic Safety, with 1,227 pedestrians being observed in three days in different locations across Slovenia, and the observation took place from 12 to 15 and from 4 to 7 pm.

What do the results of the observation show?

By gender, there were slightly more women (56%) at the observed pedestrian locations, with the highest number of pedestrians among the pedestrians (38%), followed by young people (26%), the elderly and children representing 17% each.

About the use of reflectors, the data showed that the proportion of use of different reflectors is extremely low. Thus, only 1.2% of pedestrians had a fire or reflective band, and 4.2% had another reflective surface. The vast majority of pedestrians did not use any reflector (93%). However, about half of the pedestrians were indeed dressed in reflective clothing, which may also be related to the dry and beautiful weather at the time of observation.

What are the most common pedestrian violations?

During the observation, it turned out that 77% of pedestrians acted concerning traffic behavior, and almost 22% of pedestrians violated a certain rule. Inappropriate behavior was dominated by crossing outside the marked pedestrian crossing (71%) and using a mobile phone or headset while walking in traffic (16%), followed by crossing the middle of the intersection and at a red pedestrian light.

How can each pedestrian secure his or her safety?

Pedestrians:

1. Pave the pavement - If there is no pavement, walk along the left edge of the roadway for an overview of the vehicles in front.

2. BE VISIBLE - Drivers should notify you in time, so make sure you:

Wear light clothing and reflectors - Use a portable flashlight when walking at night outside the village.

Avoid the driver's blind spot because he can't see you (especially problematic for trucks and buses);

Make eye contact with the driver - so make sure he is noticed;

3. ROAD OVER TO THE HIGHLIGHTS

4. BE CAREFUL - Look left, right and left again before crossing.

How to handle a pedestrian on the highway?

Last year, as many as five pedestrians died on improper handling of Slovenian roads.

1. DO NOT STOP ON THE HIGHWAY - If it is not necessary due to an accident or vehicle breakdown, make sure you do not stop on the highway as it is extremely dangerous.

2. CARE FOR VISIBILITY - Use a mandatory reflective vest.

3. REMOVE SAFETY - Best for the guardrail and forward of the car to reduce the likelihood of an oncoming vehicle crash.

4. CALL THE HELP OF THE RELEVANT SERVICE

5. DO NOT GO ON THE ROAD - Keep in mind that the seat belt is also not safe as vehicle speeds are high.

How can you, as a driver, ensure pedestrian safety?

1. BE PREPARED - Be especially prepared in the settlements and near pedestrian crossings to stop suddenly. Especially be careful near schools, kindergartens and playgrounds, and elsewhere, where there are often children and the elderly who are particularly vulnerable.

2. REDUCE SPEED - Pedestrians are difficult to spot in the dark or dusk, especially when they are not using reflectors, so you need to be extra alert and slow down.

3. WAIT - Pedestrians can be expected at all times, even where prohibited (at AC, outside the village). When turning, be sure to always pay attention to pedestrians and cyclists coming from the side, as they are easily overlooked.

4. ENABLE SAFE CROSSING - Always stop pedestrians at the pedestrian crossing as they have priority, allowing them to cross the road safely.

5. BE CAREFULLY WARNING WHEN TURNING - In addition to turning, always pay attention to pedestrians and cyclists coming from the side, as they are easily overlooked. Do not overtake or drive past a vehicle that has stopped a pedestrian crossing the road.