Call Issued For High Visibility Clothing To Be Mandatory For Cyclists

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) in Ireland has just issued a call for it to be made compulsory for all cyclists in the country to wear high visibility clothing when out and about on their bikes.

The organisation is keen for this to be pushed through as such a measure could slash road deaths dramatically, the Irish Independent reports.

“I believe that at least if we have legislation we can encourage people a little bit more. We can start off with a discretionary measure that is always available to us. If people continue to persist we can take a more forcible attitude,” Sgt Gerry Moylan said, speaking at the annual AGSI delegate conference in Killarney in Co Kerry.

He went on to note that last year, 35 pedestrians were killed on roads in Ireland, 23 of whom were in rural areas. This is why fluorescent clothing could significantly contribute to road safety moving forward.

It is currently not a requirement to wear high vis clothes in the UK and Ireland while cycling, but if you are biking on public roads it might be sensible to wear this kind of clothing so others can see you and avoid potential accidents. You might also like to wear them during the day as well as at night, but make sure they’re well fitted so that there are no loose items that can get caught up in the moving parts of your bicycle.

Remember, however, that it’s illegal to cycle on public roads after dark if you don’t have lights and reflectors fitted to your bike.