Traffic Safety

The middle of the block…

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…is by far the most risky place for a pedestrian to cross a street. Did you know that?

Sadly, this month, three Libertyville students were struck by cars, while crossing roads at the middle of the block*. We were relieved to hear that none of them were badly injured.
A look at statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tells us that 76% of fatal pedestrian accidents occur between intersections. Assuming that most people cross streets and roads safely at intersections means that it is significantly more than three times as dangerous to cross streets away from intersections.
We have brought up walk-to-school programs before on this blog and believe strongly that, as a society, we do need to get the next generation used to walking and biking more. For health reasons, for environmental reasons and to increase quality of life. Parents may think they do their kids a favor when they drive them to school. In fact, it has the opposite result. More cars lead to more accidents, more exhaust and less exercise. It is time to discuss investing in walk-to-school programs, not just more lanes for cars. We would like to see more parents teaching kids from an early age how to walk safely and we would like to see incentives to keep cars away from schools.

So what do kids need to learn before you can let them loose? Based on the statistics mentioned above , safety precautions can be boiled down to:
1. 

  1. Use cross walks! Don’t cross at the middle of the block. Cross walks at intersections are safer than cross walks in the middle of the block.
  2. Use safety reflectors when walking from dusk through dawn. (70% of pedestrian accidents occur during the dark hours.)
    Those two pieces of advice would go a long way! However, from personal experience, we’d like to add this one:
  3. Before crossing, even if you have a green light, look back to check that the driver in the right turn lane has seen you. Too many are on their cell phones and have no idea that you are there.

* In the article it is stated that the high school student crossed at an intersection. However, right there, the highway has no stop signs, no traffic lights and there is no pedestrian cross walk, which gives drivers a perception of being “in the middle of the block” although there is a small road crossing.

The funflector team

The middle of the block… Read More »

How much is a pedestrian’s life worth?

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As a parent of three, I feel woozy just thinking about backing over children. My own or someone else’s would be equally horrifying. Our garage is a detached one and in the back of our yard. The turnaround is used by the kids for rollerblading, basketball, hopscotch etc. To avoid any accidents when getting the car out, I require the kids to stand on the lawn, all together in a spot where I can see them at all times. Either I know exactly where all of them are or the car does not move.

Today, 45% of all new vehicles have back-up cameras installed to alert the driver about any obstacle behind the car that is impossible to see otherwise from the driver’s seat. Mandatory back-up cameras in all vehicles have been in the spotlight the last couple of days. The 2008 law on creating rear visibility standards for vehicles by Feb. 28, 2011, has once again been delayed. The plan was to require all vehicles to conform to the new standard by September 2014. Each year, about 228 deaths occur in back-up accidents. It is estimated that half of those could be avoided if all cars had a safety system in place.

We have been wondering for a while how much pedestrian’s lives are worth, so we got out our calculator.

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How much is a pedestrian’s life worth?Read More »

How much is a pedestrian’s life worth? Read More »

Are Safety Reflectors Only For Kids Or For Grown-Ups Too?

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I meet a lot of people who only thinks of kids’ safety when they see our safety reflectors. We see a many grown-ups who also would have some good use of safety reflectors.( And we actually have safety reflectors that are popular with teens and adults. ) Here is one example:

Last Friday night at 6.30, I drove my kids around. You know, picking up one here, dropping off the other one there and still make it to the jump-off of the basketball game of the third. There had been flurries in the air since lunch time so the highway way was slushy and slippery. Ten minutes earlier, at the intersection of two IL state highways, it was so slippery, I couldn’t get the car to stop until several feet past the stop line. Pretty scary considering I was only going 20 mph.

In the middle of the high way, I saw a guy, but only as a dim shadow against the glare from oncoming traffic. He crossed the four-lane highway with a cup in his hand, dressed all in dark. He stopped at the painted median strip, which is also used as a turn lane. That’s where I passed him. I hope he made it over to his car on the other side despite the fact* that:

– more accidents happen in the middle of the block than at intersections (73%)

– more accidents happen during the dark hours than at day light (69%)

– the road was very slippery and it was difficult to stop even at low speed

– visibility was poor

– it was Friday night rush hour traffic (23% more accidents occur on Fridays and Saturdays than on other other weekdays)

– he’s a man (70%)

I wish I had a video or photo of what I saw, but  I didn’t want to lower this guy’s odds even more by being a distracted driver… Take a peak at the photos below and imagine snow slush on the road, snow flakes on your windshield and two more lanes.

A grown-up pedestrian crossing a dark highway with and without reflectors. The median strip is used as a turn lane for traffic from both directions and is not a safe haven for pedestrians - kids or grown-ups.
A pedestrian crossing a dark highway with and without reflectors. The median strip is used as a turn lane for traffic from both directions and is not a safe haven for pedestrians.

I might just be paranoid, but I think I would have walked the extra 300 feet to the intersection and traffic lights and crosswalk. I also wear pedestrian safety reflectors, several if the weather is this bad. After all, every day, 11 pedestrians get killed in traffic and many more injured. For me, it is more important to see my family again than trying to save a minute or two… What would you have done?

Elisabeth

* The numbers are taken from 2009 data, analyzed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, http://www.iihs.org

Are Safety Reflectors Only For Kids Or For Grown-Ups Too? Read More »

Walk to School

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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

Walk to School Read More »

What’s in a Tally Mark?

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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

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“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

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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 »

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

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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 »

Why Are Reflectors so Scandinavian?

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As many Swedish Americans, we are super busy celebrating our holidays, Midsummer last weekend and Independence Day this weekend. A belated “Glad Midsommar” and Happy 4th! It can’t be stressed enough: the DAYS ARE GETTING SHORTER AGAIN! Inspired by all the good Scandinavian safety reflectors have done for decades, we’ll keep reminding you.

Scandinavian safety reflectors by funflector
Funflector safety reflectors


Are you heading for festivals, amusement parks, evening concerts in the park, block parties, beach parties…? Temporary parking lots are often dark and not so well organized. A safety reflector or two will make you much more visible! Order yours from our web shop, as always with free shipping!
Why are pedestrian safety reflectors so Scandinavian? This is a question I recently got from a fellow blogger, the Swedish American Mamma. Just don’t think he answer is as easy as “it is darker over there in the winter”. (After all, if you leave your office at 5 or 5.30, it doesn’t matter if the sun sets at 3.30 or at 5 pm. Even in America, it is dark after the sun sets…)
Please head over to the Swedish American Mamma (or the repost  on our blog) and read more about why Swedes are so excited about their cool, fun, colorful Scandinavian safety reflectors!
Elisabeth

Why Are Reflectors so Scandinavian? Read More »

Only 50%… Only?

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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 »

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