According to research by the Dutch mobility organization ANWB and its German sister club ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club), some safety jackets on the Dutch market are unsafe. They hardly reflect any light. And although the jackets are not mandatory in the Netherlands, both organizations sound the alarm.

ADAC experts purchased 14 different safety vests online and tested them for reflection, i.e., visibility in the dark. The result: five of the 14 safety vests – or 35% – did not meet the standard. They were unsafe and hardly reflected any light. This means that people wearing them in traffic would hardly be visible to others while assuming they would be clearly visible.

Smartphone or flashlight

Research showed that a similar range of vests is available online in the Netherlands. So, there is a chance that the non-reflective safety vests will be bought and used. The ANWB, therefore, advises that when purchasing a safety vest, pay close attention to whether it is sufficiently reflective with a simple test.

Use the light of a smartphone or flashlight and shine on the safety vest from a distance of about three meters. A good safety vest will reflect bright white, even when still in clear plastic packaging. The ANWB also advises looking for a label referencing the EN ISO 20471 standard.

Mandatory in many countries

Safety vests are used to be clearly visible to other traffic in case of a breakdown or collision. Cyclists, motorcyclists, and runners wear them to stand out in traffic. Seeing and being seen is important in traffic. That is why the vests are mandatory in many countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, and Croatia.