The safety vest is intended to protect motorists when the vehicle is left lying due to a breakdown or an accident.

The Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) include in each passenger car, truck, bus and in tractor and tractor each a safety vest. This must comply with European standard EN 471. This is indicated by an imprint on the vest or its label. The vest must be yellow, orange or orange-red and have two reflective tapes at the bottom of the front and back. It is generally important that the vest is “retro reflective”, according to the German Traffic Watch Association Kurt, president of the association, explains: “With normal reflection, the light radiates in a different direction – in retro reflective clothing it radiates directly to the Light source back. ” This could be checked with a safety vest, for example, with a flashlight in a darkened room itself.

Safety vests have long been mandatory in many other European countries. This can be important for the upcoming holiday with your own car because who has none or not wearing them, is sometimes sensitive to the cash. An overview of countries and special regulations can be found at TÜV.

According to the German traffic police, over 27 percent of all accidents occur at dusk and darkness, 40 percent of them end in death. If motorists have to leave the car during this time, for example, because of an accident, a bright, reflective safety vest with the reflective fabric can be life-saving, according to traffic experts. And this does not just apply to car drivers. Even motorcyclists or cyclists and pedestrians can protect themselves by wearing a safety vest: About 90 percent of all motorists, according to the German traffic guard, say that they did not see the pedestrian during nighttime collisions.