LED Activewear Makes Night Time Safer
In 2013, more than twenty-six percent of traffic-related pedestrian fatalities occurred between the hours of 6pm and 8:59pm. With the total traffic related pedestrian fatalities being around 4,000 people, that’s a little over 1,000 in a single year. Similarly, around twenty-two percent of all bicycle and motor vehicle accidents also happened between the same hours. Why is that two hour stretch so incredibly dangerous? The obvious answer is that it’s getting dark exactly around that time. As a result, it’s much harder for joggers, motorcyclists and bicyclists to make sure drivers can see them.
In fact, lack of visibility is one of the biggest contributors to motorcyclist, bicyclist and jogger injuries after dark. Even when individuals try to use high-visibility gear, it can be cumbersome and relies on reflective light which often means a car can come way too close for comfort before the reflective surface is bright enough to alert the driver.
Luckily, it looks like a solution is in the works that will keep everyone safer. In previous blogs, we’ve talked about using LEDs in clothing and shoes for fashion, or entertainment purposes. Now a company called Lumenus has integrated activewear and outerwear with LED lights to create practical, high-visibility clothing designed to keep nighttime travelers safe.
The jackets, pants, and book bags Lumenus hopes to produce integrates LED lighting systems in a variety of ways. Not only does it provide active lighting (instead of reflective lighting), it also can be programmed to show when bicyclists brake and which way they’re turning. Using LEDs ensures that the systems use less energy and last longer while providing bright, highly-visible light.
So where can you find this amazing new wearable LEDs apparel? Lumenus hopes to be bringing their safer nighttime activewear to those who want it sometime in 2016.
Image source: http://www.digitaltrends.com/
