Children's Safety Vests in ÖAMTC Test: More Than Half Do Not Reflect

"More than half of the tested models do not reflect sufficiently – this is shocking," explains ÖAMTC technician Steffan Kerbl. Good visibility can be crucial: A child in dark clothing is only recognized in the headlights of a car from about 25 meters, with light clothing from about 40 meters. A safety vest with functioning reflectors, on the other hand, makes children visible from up to 150 meters.
For comparison: A car traveling at 50 km/h needs over 28 meters to come to a stop in an emergency braking situation. Every additional meter of visibility can make a decisive difference.

Stationary Retail Convinces – Online Purchase Risky

For the test, 20 vests were purchased online and five in stationary retail. While all products purchased in retail met the standard, two-thirds of the online vests failed. It also became apparent that online products are on average more expensive and often only offered in multiple sets.

Kerbl therefore recommends buying safety vests directly on site: "You can immediately check if a label with the reference to the standard EN 17353 is sewn in. This is not a guarantee, but a strong indication of sufficient reflection."

Reflective capability is not legally required – nor is there a mandatory requirement for children’s safety vests.

Self-Test at Home: Does My Child's Safety Vest Reflect?

Those who already own safety vests can easily check their functionality. The ÖAMTC advises directing a flashlight or phone light at eye level onto the vest in a darkened room. Reflective strips should shine bright white from about three meters away.

"If the vest appears barely brighter than a sheet of paper, it is defective and should be replaced," says Kerbl. Borderline cases are rare – usually, a vest either works clearly or not at all.

The color of the vest (yellow, green, orange, or red) mainly plays a role during the day and is less crucial for visibility in the dark.

Conclusion on the ÖAMTC Test

The ÖAMTC test shows: Those who prioritize safety should pay attention to tested quality when purchasing children's safety vests – ideally in physical stores. Poor reflection can have fatal consequences in traffic. Parents should regularly check existing vests and replace them if necessary to protect children as best as possible during the dark season.

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.