Road safety has long been an important area of focus in Europe, particularly in relation to the availability of visibility equipment that can keep pedestrians and cyclists safe in low-light conditions. EN17353:2020 Type B1 and Type B2 reflective products must be marketed in pairs at least, as demanded by European standard EN17353, a requirement based on exhaustive safety criteria.
Understanding the Products:
- Type B1 products are compact reflective pendants or attachments that can be simply fastened to bags, clothing, or personal items
- Type B2 products are wearable arm bands and wrist bands on limbs
- The two serve the vital purpose of increasing user visibility in low light situations
Requirement #1: 360-Degree Visibility
The paired-selling requirement results from the standard’s tight call for full transparency. People move around all the time, with Directions changing during different movements. A single reflective article creates hazardous blind spots — picture clipping one portion before you, while leaving your back exposed whenever you turn around.
Benefits of Paired Usage:
- Read full article: Once you put on a pair of these reflective products, like the arm bands above, then your movements will ensure complete visibility from all directions
- Improved detection: Reflected signals are observed by vehicle drivers at longer distances for a longer reaction time
- Dynamic Protection: The paired arrangement forms a “safety warning circle” around the user which is always visible, no matter the direction of motion
Real-World Applications:
- Urban Environment: Traffic congestion in big cities causes complex traffic demand, so reflective products for pedestrians with 2 search in the reflective competitiveness
- Sports: Night runners and cyclists are now more visible to other athletes and road users
- Group Activities: Enables companions to easily keep visual contact in low-light environments
The EN17353 requirement that it applies to paired sales is characteristic of a European, all-round approach to road safety. This regulation will better protect users through greater visibility, and it provides safety standards that may be a model for nations around the world. As consumers, it is important for us to know about this requirement and implement it correctly to maximize our safety in poor visibility situations.
These clear standards may appear trivial in a sense, but they are clearly a proactive way to have personal safety equipment, like a helmet for example, designed in such a way that it keeps people safe in the lines of work and living activity associated with road use or outdoor adventure.