Fluorescent green safety vest

Other measures or proposed measures have been more controversial. During the early 70s when the UK government first encountered this problem, they decided to experiment with changing their time zone to what is currently known as British Summer Time all year round. The theory, which seemed to be borne out by the reduction of road deaths, was that drivers were less alert driving home in the evenings in the dark than they would be going to work in the morning. However, at the same time, children were also given reflective bands to wear during the dark winter mornings. It is not clear therefore whether the reflective bands or the change in time zone was really responsible for the reduction in deaths. The initiative was eventually dropped due to pressure from dairy farmers who resented always waking in the dark and the population of Scotland (who understandably resented not only having to wake in the dark but staying in the dark to 10.30 am every Winter morning).

Sweden's experience suggests that it is the reflective clothing which makes the difference not the daylight conditions as they have seen a real reduction in road accidents since they introduced the use of reflective clothing including vests, cycle helmets and reflector badges from the early 90s onwards. Since parts of Sweden experience permanent night during the winter, this is a particularly instructive lesson in road safety. And, as previously stated, various countries have recognized the importance of reflective safety gear as one factor in preventing accidents and reducing injury and death on the roadside.

The term "motorcycle leathers" describes leather clothing worn by motorcyclists, usually for its armor value against the consequences of falling off their bike, and to provide additional weather protection that normal clothing would not offer when travelling at speed. A well-protected motorcyclist will wear boots with heels that fit on motorcycle pegs and provide good ankle support, leather pants or chaps to protect the legs, a leather jacket to protect the trunk and arms, gloves and a helmet with eye protection.

Leather biker jacketOriginally, motorcycle leathers were adapted from tank corps gear immediately following World War I. Duster coats, which tended to catch in the wheels, were switched for short coats. Wide-pegged breeches were worn by some motorcycle police (and are still worn in Belgium) and by dispatch riders in World War II, but were largely abandoned in the post-war years because of their association with certain Nazi uniforms.

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