Tragedy has struck recently with pedestrians being hit by cars. Bad weather and dark clothing are major culprits. Wearing clothing that has reflective properties, either stripes or an actual vest, can save your life.
Eastern Area Agency on Aging’s Vest Dressed for Safety program makes reflective vests available to everyone who wants to increase their visibility. The vests are lightweight mesh with front and back panels held together by elastic strips. The front panels fasten together with Velcro, which is helpful for easy on and off.
Because Maine is so rural, often there are no sidewalks, so people are forced to walk on the side of the road. Or they must retrieve their mail from mailboxes across the road from their homes. The availability of streetlights in rural Maine is iffy at best. For some seniors, hearing loss and changes in their peripheral vision may make it harder for them to hear or see a vehicle approaching.
Wearing a reflective vest, which can make a person visible hundreds of feet away, gives a motorist plenty of time to slow down and safely maneuver his or her car around the pedestrian.
And it is not just roads that cause a problem. Parking lots can pose a danger at night. Motorists backing up may not see a person in dark clothing crossing behind the vehicle.
Since the program’s inception about eight years ago, EAAA has distributed hundreds of vests. While available through local retailers, the agency wants to make obtaining a vest as easy as possible, without having to shop around.
“If getting a vest becomes complicated, with going from store to store, people may not bother,” said Noelle Merrill, executive director at EAAA.
So don’t curse the darkness, as an ancient Chinese proverb advises, just be ready for it. Get your vest today and venture out with confidence.
The cost is about $10 and the vests come in a variety of sizes. Be safe, be seen. Get a vest. For more information, call EAAA at 1-800-432-7812 or visit www.eaaa.org.
Carol Higgins Taylor, an advocate for seniors who owns a public relations firm in Bangor, can be reached at 4chtaylor@gmail.com.