Happy Back to School! Is that a thing? Well, it should be!
It's safe to say that for parents it is the most wonderful time of the year. The return to school often brings a peace and quiet which is nowhere to be found over the summer. But as you stock up on pencils, erasers, and notebooks for your child, think safety too.
Statistics
Kids are small and can easily go unnoticed by motorists. We'll let the statistics do the talking. According to the NHTSA statistics (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), there was a total of 32,675 fatalities from pedestrian accidents in 2014 alone. Of those 32,675 fatalities, children ages 5-14 years old came out at 19% of the fatalities. Kids have the highest percentages of pedestrians injured.
Solution
Aside from the obvious, educating your child about the laws and dangers of the road, hi-vis (high visibility) apparel is great for keeping your child safe as they come home or travel to school. High visibility clothing are used predominantly by construction workers but are perfect for anybody who wants a safe commute by bike or foot. (I wear this hi-vis vest when I bike at night - here in Brooklyn!)
Just so you know there are multiple standards for hi-vis apparel. For the purpose of children (and not construction!) let’s focus on two types: with and without reflective tape.
Hi-vis clothing without the reflective tape is perfect for daytime travel: it is bright and gives passing drivers a clear indication of where your child is.
The other option, hi-vis clothing with reflective tape will shine brightly in headlights – illuminating your child - and is therefore much better for night travel.
Check out our collection of hi-vis apparel on Gorvex.com, along with our extensive collection of safety products.
Here's a celebratory throwback to the Staples back-to-school 90's commercial - "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year".