Significance of pedestrian clothing color in prevention of traffic accidents

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Experts of Institute for Forecasting and Macroeconomic Research (IPMI) analyzed the importance of pedestrian clothing color in preventing traffic accidents.

According to the Road Safety Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan, in the first half of 2022, 3,559 accidents occurred in Uzbekistan, in which 2,775 people received injuries of varying degrees and 784 died. Exceeding the speed limit was the cause of every fourth accident! 47% of accidents involve pedestrians.

Road traffic accidents have significant economic costs. For example, the World Health Organization claims that 1.3 million people die and 20 to 50 million people are injured in road crashes every year. According to Investing in Road Safety: A Global Private Sector Imperative, accidents cost the global economy US$518 billion a year.

According to a World Bank report, road traffic deaths and injuries affect medium- and long-term economic growth prospects by removing older adults from the workforce and reducing productivity due to the burden of injuries.

Using detailed data on mortality and economic performance from 135 countries, the authors of the study calculated that, on average, a 10% reduction in road traffic deaths raises real GDP per capita by 3.6% over 24 years.

There are various ways to reduce road deaths. One effective way is for pedestrians to wear bright colors at night.

IPMI has prepared a brief infographic that clearly demonstrates the visibility of the color of a pedestrian’s clothing at night. Reflective elements are visible from 130 meters, which allows the car to stop even at a speed of 80 km/h. Bright colors (yellow, white) can be seen from a distance of 37-55 m. If the blue color can be seen from 17 m, then the black color is almost invisible!

The infographic clearly demonstrates that compliance with the established speed limit and slowing down in places near schools and educational institutions will allow drivers to react in time and have time to stop vehicles.

In places of intensive pedestrian crossing (near public places, in residential areas), it is advisable to continue the widespread use of speed limits through infrastructural engineering solutions. For example, in world practice such methods as elevated pedestrian crossings, narrowing of the carriageway at pedestrian crossings, artificial turns, etc. are used.