Don't be invisible!

On November 17, the State Traffic Inspectorate will hold a preventive campaign "Don't be invisible!".

The campaign is aimed at preventing road traffic accidents involving vulnerable road users, and promoting the use of retroreflective elements and high-visibility vests by pedestrians, cyclists, and horse-drawn vehicle drivers.

Accident analysis shows that with the onset of the autumn-winter period and the reduction of daylight hours, the probability of accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists, and horse-drawn vehicle drivers increases.

The main causes of such accidents are: the absence of retroreflective elements when moving in the dark, crossing the roadway outside designated areas, and violation of traffic rules at pedestrian crossings, especially in cities and large settlements. Also, bicycles and horse-drawn vehicles not equipped in accordance with traffic regulations.

Pedestrians often create hazardous situations, endangering themselves and other road users, deliberately violating rules by crossing the street in undesignated areas, suddenly entering the roadway from behind objects that obstruct the driver's view, or running across the road on a red light. Sometimes they simply take the shortest route to the nearest bus stop, maneuvering between speeding cars, even though a pedestrian crossing may be nearby.

Many pedestrians do not want to understand that a driver cannot stop their vehicle instantly to avoid a collision. Pedestrians are most vulnerable in the dark. Drivers should be extremely focused when driving through poorly lit or unlit sections of roads near settlements. It is there that the probability of pedestrians appearing on the roadway is highest. Pedestrians, in turn, should not forget the importance of using retroreflective elements. When moving along the edge of the roadway in the dark, a pedestrian must identify themselves with a retroreflective element.

Many pedestrians, wishing to cross the roadway, exhibit limited patience, carelessness, and illogical behavior. Some undisciplined or risk-taking pedestrians intentionally provoke conflict situations. Drivers must be prepared for any unexpected actions from pedestrians – walking on roads or lying on the roadway while intoxicated, crossing the roadway in an unauthorized place, or disobeying traffic signals.

Intoxicated pedestrians pose a particular danger on or near the roadway. They behave illogically, carelessly, and sometimes aggressively. The behavior of an intoxicated person is unpredictable, so drivers must immediately take necessary precautions: stop, drive around the intoxicated person at a distance that prevents them from colliding with the vehicle. There are cases where intoxicated pedestrians choose the roadway for rest, and such accidents result in severe consequences. The profile of a typical offender: a person aged 30-50, wearing dark clothing, without reflective elements, usually of asocial disposition and often in a state of intoxication.

The State Automobile Inspectorate appeals to all road users: if you see a pedestrian (cyclist) near the roadway exhibiting clear signs of intoxication and posing a clear danger to traffic, please report it immediately to the duty officer or call the hotline 102.