LIFE JACKETS FOR THE HIGHWAY

When driving throughout Europe it definitely is law in many countries to carry a high visibility vest in your vehicle. The majority of us would automatically deposit this garment in the boot of the vehicle to sit with the rest of the clutter which stays there until we suddenly decide to have a clear out.

You certainly would not be able to do this whilst driving in France or Spain; the high visibility vest/s would have to be stored inside the passenger cell of the vehicle. Actually when you think about it, what is the point of storing a high visibility vest, (which is there to be used in an emergency situation), in the boot when most accidents are front to rear, which obstructs any access to the boot?

The other scenario to consider is if you were the captain of a ship you would ensure that life jackets are available for all your passengers and crew. This is obviously not the case in terms of being a road vehicle captain. Most people, who do carry a high visibility vest, only carry one for themselves to wear in the event of an emergency or breakdown.

This is factual information. My husband and I recently conducted a consumer survey on road safety, we were not surprised with the outcome but when one stops to think the results are quite staggering.

80% of people surveyed did not carry a high visibility vest and out of those who did the majority stored them in the boot of their vehicle. Wait for it!- 98% of people interviewed agreed there should be more public awareness campaigns, to encourage and make people realise the importance of wearing this potentially life saving garment in the event of an accident or breakdown.

When you consider that;

 42% of accidents happen in the darkness.
 One in 10 crashes involves vehicles parked on the hard shoulder

It seems absolutely insane that for the sake of spending a few pounds the majority of people do not invest in high visibility life jacket/s which can easily be stored inside the passenger cell of the vehicle together with other emergency and essential information, which essentially becomes ‘The Drivers Hub’.  For more information click here    
                       
Watch this space for further simple travel advice!