Hisotry of Pedestrian Reflector use in Finland

The following information comes from Matti Koivurova of the Central Organization for Traffic Safety in Finland.  He is possibly the world’s leading expert on pedestrian reflectors.

Translated by Kim Pasanen:

 In the late 1950s, reflective materials began to appear in the Finnish market.  These were sewn or glued onto clothing.  Manufacturers of automotive reflectors began making pedestrian reflectors as well.  In the 1960s, Swedish Professors of Psychology Johansson and Rumar at the University of Uppsala conducted measurements of reflector effectiveness with regard to distance in the context of visibility to motorists. 

 In the 1960s, municipalities and states in Finland campaigned for pedestrian reflector use and held competitions for this that proved effective.  Toward the late ‘60s, reflector use in rural areas was up to about 40%.

 In 1970, performance standards were set for reflectors to combat makers of fake look-alike products that were appearing on the market.  Reflector attachments of various kinds for clothing, footwear, gloves, hats and backpacks were developed in the ‘70s.  Official standards for pedestrian reflectors were established in Finland in the late 70’s.

 In 1982 a law went into effect in the traffic code (42§) that reads “pedestrians traveling unlit roads after dark other than sidewalks or bicycle paths must generally wear an appropriate reflector.”  No penalty was imposed for failure to comply.

 The Nordic countries established universal standards for pedestrian reflectors in the 1980s.  In the ‘90s the European Union countries began to adopt standards for PPE (personal protective equipment) such as helmets and other devices.  The PPE Directive included standards for high-visibility warning clothing and for pedestrian reflectors (EN 13356 Visibility Accessories for Non-professional Use).  On January 1, 2003, 42§ was modified to read “pedestrians traveling roads after dark must generally wear an appropriate reflector.”  Now it includes lit as well as unlit areas, because street lighting is usually weak.  There is still no penalty for non-compliance.