traffic safety

Walk to School

/ go green, thoughts, traffic safety / , , , ,

Kids benefit so much from walking to school, but fewer and fewer do it on a daily basis. A local walk to school program is a great way to get kids into the habit. Parents at Vienna Elementary (VA) organize “Walking Wednesdays” and here they share their story:

Vienna Elementary, a school with just under 400 students, has been participating in the October International Walk to School Day and a local spring Walk/Bike to School Challenge for several years. Almost all of our students live within 1/2 mile of the school, but about 3/4 are bussed because of  two heavily traveled roads near the school. Bussed students are allowed to walk if accompanied by their parents. Our turnouts for these walk and bike to school days was as high as 120 walkers during nice weather.

Safety reflectors for kids walking to school
The bright orange hand was one of the pedestrian reflectors that Vienna Elementary students could get in their walk-to-school program.

This year we received a grant from Prevention Connections to implement a “Walking Wednesdays” program that was launched on this year’s International Walk to School Day (October 9th). Every Wednesday that a student walks, they are given a small foot charm to put on a chain. A local coffee shop, Cafe Amouri, has donated free coffee for the parents. The program has been an overwhelming success. We are regularly seeing over 150 students from all over town walking on Wednesdays and the charm and coffee table has become a small social scene.
As part of the grant, we purchased several hundred funflector reflective charms to give away on a few special days each year. We gave them out this year on December 7th and 14th and let the kids know there would be a special surprise for walking. Now that it is getting dark early, we wanted to help keep the children be safe when they walk in the dawn and dusk hours or on rainy or overcast days. Turnout was high and the children were very excited to see the reflectors which were in the Paw and Peace Hand designs. Now, almost all of our walkers have one on their backpacks to help make them more visible. Kids like the designs and proudly display them on their backpacks. Because it is not obvious that the funflector tags are highly reflective, we are sending out followup information to the parents about the pedestrian reflectors. Close to St Patrick’s day, we’ll have another funflector day with the shamrock design so that students will have one for their front (typically jacket zipper pull) and one for their backpack if they choose.

Sean McCall, a father of two Vienna Elementary students, is engaged in the PTO walk to school committee and contributed this post. Thanks for sharing your project and experience with our readers!

Elisabeth

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What’s in a Tally Mark?

/ thoughts, traffic safety / ,

We are looking at statistics and wondering about the 3000 pedestrians killed in traffic since last Christmas. What do their families and friends think about the past year without them? Many of them will celebrate the upcoming holidays without them for the first time. What will that be like?

1500lives could have been spared in traffic had Americans worn reflectors like Scandinavians...
Look at all of these pedestrians killed in traffic 🙁 They are people like your neighbor, college or friend or could have been in your family

For each pedestrian killed, there are also 10 injured. Some might have gotten away with a broken leg or foot, others have had to revise their dreams beyond what’s imaginable for most of us. Did you know that 30% of Finns wear pedestrian reflectors regularly? We estimate that if Americans did that, each year about 1500 lives could be spared and 15.000 injuries avoided. That would be 16.000  kids, teens, men and women without shattered dreams of what their life would be like. Each year!
You, your family and your friends only have one life and you need to take care of it! Walking is an easy way to get some exercise, but you need to help drivers to see you if you out after dark (planned or unplanned.) Put some safety reflectors in the stockings this year—not just for the kids. Grandpa needs them, the reflectors will dangle nicely on his walker! College students need them! Your friend the dog walker needs them! Your friend the runner needs them! And YOU are too valuable not to wear any!
Our lightweight soft pedestrian reflectors are easy to send in a holiday card and they make perfect stocking stuffers!
Have fun and be safe!
 Elisabeth

What’s in a Tally Mark? Read More »

Funflector® Safety Reflectors on Halloween Costumes

/ traffic safety / , , , , , , , ,

“Funflector® tags are so much more fun than reflective tape, but how do I attach them to Halloween costumes?“ is a question we often get this time of year. Four times as many kids get killed in traffic  on Halloween than on any other night of the year! That’s why Good Morning America urged everyone to put reflectors on Halloween Costumes. The funflector® tags will do the trick! They are high quality pedestrian reflectors, fulfilling the European standard E13356, which means they can be visible to drivers from about 400 ft.

Fun-to-wear life saver: Ghost safety reflector from our webshop. Also available in white, pink & blue
Fun-to-wear life saver: Ghost safety reflector from our webshop. Also available in white, pink & blue


Here is a recap of what we wrote last year about attaching reflectors to Halloween costumes:
The ball chains that come with funflector® tags are meant to be attached to zipper pulls and loops. So what do you do when the robe of your grim reaper has none of that?

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Funflector® Safety Reflectors on Halloween CostumesRead More »

Funflector® Safety Reflectors on Halloween Costumes Read More »

40 Days Left

/ traffic safety / , , , ,

Safety reflector season has started and the days are zipping by. Most of all we notice it because of how much earlier it gets dark every day. Here in Chicago, we are losing one minute a day. One week I pick up kids after their activities and it is not so dark. The next week it is pitch black and I’m thinking of which Halloween safety reflectors to get them tis year. Have you too been surprised how fast it goes?

Are You Ready?

I got an email today “65 Days Until Black Friday! Are You Ready?” Bah, no, I’m not. funflector.com is ready, we are already shipping orders for stocking stuffers, but not me personally. The kids are still going to school in shorts and it is hard to find (real) fall leaves to use for photo props.  So how can I be ready for what’s beyond Thanksgiving? We are busy with Halloween safety. Very busy! Last week, we came across some statistics that stated that four times as many kids are killed in traffic on Halloween as on any other night during the year. Four times—that’s a lot and we don’t want to stand on the sideline to see that happen any more.

Do your kids prefer reflective tape or Halloween reflectors?
Do your kids prefer reflective tape or Halloween reflectors?
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40 Days LeftRead More »

40 Days Left Read More »

First funflector Blogiversary!

/ neat stuff, news, thoughts, traffic safety /

Time is going fast when life is fun! I can’t believe an entire year has passed since we launched the funflector Blog, but it has. Let’s celebrate our first blogiversary with some thoughts on our posts!

The purpose of the blog was – and still is – three fold:
– to make it easy for the funflector team to get out news about our safety reflectors and traffic safety
– personal reflections on the world around us
– tell the world about neat stuff that is out there on the market. As a small and new business owner, it takes a huge effort to cut through the noise and let the world know about your products. When we find stuff we like from other small businesses, we are happy to help spread the word!

We know how hard it is to find reflectors for personal use in North America – after all, that’s why we launched the funflector® safety reflectors. However,

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First funflector Blogiversary!Read More »

First funflector Blogiversary! Read More »

Favorite Places to Put Fun Safety Reflectors 4 – on My Bike

/ thoughts, traffic safety / , , , ,

We love to hang funflector® safety reflectors on our bikes! We have shamrock reflectors to show off our Irish heritage (or just to ask for that extra luck that’s needed when drivers are busy texting), heart reflectors to show the world that we love our bike rides and baseball reflectors for our Cubs fans (we do have some of those around here). We still need bike lights though!

Bicycle with lights and extra safety reflectors
Red rear reflector, which doubles as rear light, and wheel reflectors should be standard on all bikes.


The funflector safety reflectors are on the bike for fun and under the heading “the more the merrier-” every reflector increases the chances of getting home safely at night. However, bikes are normally moving faster than pedestrians, so bicyclists need stronger reflectors than pedestrians. Also, in many states,  you need a red rear reflector and bike LIGHTS to be a law abiding bicyclist.
The other night, I approached an intersection and a bicyclist was crossing. The spinning wheel reflectors were the first thing we saw of him or her.  It’s quite spectacular and hard to miss! And boy, did I use that opportunity to give my kids another lesson on reflectors! So many times,
I’ve been surprised while driving by totally dark bicyclists—dark cloths, dark bikes, neither lights nor reflectors. I think I would use lights and reflectors even if they were illegal, just to do everything possible to come home safely.

Bicycle with lights and shamrock safety reflector
White front reflector and pedal reflectors should also be standard. A dynamo powers this front light.


Anyway, when we talked with George Garner abut bike helmets at George Garner Cyclery last month, we also used the opportunity to check out his bike lights and other night time safety products, so here is “Advice from a pro, Part 2” :
Every bike that leaves the cyclery, has a set of reflectors, which include:
– white front facing reflector
– red rear facing reflector
– wheel reflectors
– pedal reflectors, facing both front and back
These reflectors are usually hard prismatic reflectors that withstand the elements well. If your bike is missing these, they are easy and inexpensive to replace.

Set of good bike lights from Planet Bike
Set of good bike lights from Planet Bike


In addition to reflectors, you need lights, front and rear, when biking in the dark. Which lights to choose depends on where you go and how fast you ride. Is it enough for drivers to see you or do you need lights to light up your path? Most lights use LED’s as they make the battery last for up to 100 hours of run time. Prices range from $35 to $65 for a set of front and back lights that are sufficient for most bicyclists. For the avid off road biker, powerful lights with rechargeable battery systems are available on special order.
So, now you are all set with a well fitted helmet, reflectors and lights. Go and check your brakes (seriously!) and you are ready to cruise along into the summer nights.
Have a fun and safe ride!
Elisabeth

Favorite Places to Put Fun Safety Reflectors 4 – on My Bike Read More »

Only 50%… Only?

/ traffic safety / , , , ,

Why do people often think that reflectors are only for kids? Adults walking or biking in the dark are also very difficult to see for drivers. Adults are out after dark more often than kids. Adults, who have had a couple of beers can be unpredictable pedestrians. So what are the good excuses for adults not to wear reflectors? In Sweden, traffic safety is a big thing—that’s where Volvo comes from after all—and the attitude is sooooo different from what we encounter in the US. At the glimling office, we love to discuss cultural differences and here is such a beautiful example on the Swedish view of pedestrian safety.

Half full or half empty?
Half full or half empty?

We found an article by the Swedish insurance company  Trygg Hansa, stating: “Only half of adult Swedes wear reflectors”—wow, how impressive! With American eyes, the glass is half full, but the choice of the word “only” shows that the Swedish insurance company Trygg-Hansa, who conducted the survey, thinks the glass is half empty. Wow—half the adults and 90% of kids up to the age of 12 wear reflectors.  WOW!—and they label it “only.” As we have written earlier, about 30% of Finns wear reflectors and even that greatly reduces the number of accidents. How many Americans? Not even 1%…
The funflector team

Only 50%… Only? Read More »

Advice From a Pro: How to Fit Bicycle Helmets

/ traffic safety / ,

Inspired by the numbers showing how often a helmet can save your life if you have a bike accident, we talked to a pro about how to fit bicycle helmets.

George Garner Cyclery
George Garner

George Garner Jr. owns and operates George Garner Cyclery, which his father founded in 1947. By now, the business have grown to three cycleries in Northbrook, Libertyville and Lake Zurich.

This is his advice:

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Advice From a Pro: How to Fit Bicycle HelmetsRead More »

Advice From a Pro: How to Fit Bicycle Helmets Read More »

Bicycle Season :)

/ traffic safety / , ,

Bicycle season is in full swing! We use our bikes almost every day, and we hope you do the same. It improves air quality, your health and your wallet. “1 World, 2 Wheels” is mainly targeting the many short trips we make with cars. With the right attitude, many can replace car trips under two miles with a bike ride. Not all, but many! I’ve pledged 28 miles a week, which is about one errand a day –  to the coffee shop, the library, the bank, the UPS-store or the Little League baseball field. How many of your car rides could you replace with bike rides? Once you’ve got used to biking, getting into the car is no fun!

The go by bike challenge 2011
The go by bike challenge 2011

We’ve been pouring over web sites and accident statistics about bicyclist and pedestrian issues during the last week and are amazed how many initiatives are out there to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. And improvements are very much needed! According to Transportation for America, the number of pedestrians and bicyclists killed from 2000 through 2009, “is the equivalent of a jumbo jet full of passengers crashing roughly every month”. Additionally, a pedestrian gets injured every 7 minutes. Those are scary numbers!

Bicycle season is in full swing on the North Shore Bicycle Path in Lake County IL
Bicycle season is in full swing on the North Shore Bicycle Path in Lake County IL

But there is good news too! It helps to wear a helmet while cycling!!! The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute states that during 2008, 98% (!!) of 714 bicyclists in fatal accidents where not wearing helmets.  (And yet, only every other (50%) bicyclist wears a helmet for at least some trips and 35 % use them for all or most trips).  The National Safety Council has declared June to be National Safety Month. This week is focused on “Summer Safety“. And guess what? Whether you are skateboarding, inline skating or biking: Wear a helmet! It really reduces the severity of injuries if you happen to end up in an accident. Amazed by the numbers, we talked to George at George Garner Cyclery in Northbrook, IL to learn what to think about when choosing safety gear. We got a lot of information, that we’ll share with you in a separate  blog post.
There are two parts to bicycle safety. One is the personal responsibility on safety gear and safe biking. The second is of course a lot of improvements that need to be made to policies, infrastructure planning, and education as well.

The Pededestrian and Bicycle Information Center has plenty of information on all of these topics. If you live in the Chicago area, you can join the Active Transportation Alliance. It is very active in all aspects of making bicycling, walking and public transit safe, convenient and fun.
Enjoy your bike ride but stay safe!
Elisabeth

Bicycle Season :) Read More »

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