NEW ROAD SAFETY PACK COULD SAVE YOUR FAMILY’S LIFE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY
250 people are killed on the hard shoulder every year (1) but a new survey
reveals that 80% of people still don’t carry a high visibility vest in
their vehicle (2)
A new road safety pack being launched today could save the lives of your
family in the event of a vehicle emergency. Vispack® otherwise known as
The Driver’s Hub contains five high-visibility reflective vests to be
worn in the event of a vehicle emergency and also contains an essential
information card for drivers to record life-saving medical and emergency
contact information about themselves, as well as essential vehicle details
and roadside assistance contact information. The pack also comes with a
road collision form to record key information at the scene of an incident
that would be required to make an insurance claim.
A new survey by Vispack® found that a staggering 80 per cent of vehicle
drivers do not carry a high visibility vest in their vehicle; in addition,
of the 20 per cent of drivers that do carry one, 58 per cent do not carry
further vests for their passengers, leaving them at high risk of roadside
death in the event of a vehicle breakdown or collision. In the event of
such a situation, it is crucial that all passengers are visible to other
road users. As soon as a passenger steps out of the vehicle onto a busy
road or motorway, they are in danger.
Of those drivers that do carry a high-visibility vest, a worrying 75 per
cent of respondents confirmed that they store it in the boot of their car
despite the fact that they should be carried inside the actual vehicle and
never in the boot, as the majority of car collisions occur by one car going
into the back of another which could prevent the boot from opening and the
pack becoming inaccessible, furthermore to access the vest would first mean
getting out of the car.
The survey results highlight a serious lack of information available to
vehicle drivers about the importance of high visibility clothing and
roadside safety information, and 94 per cent of the people surveyed agreed
with this statement.
Nick Mills, managing director, Vispack®, comments, “Having been
unfortunate enough to have witnessed several roadside collisions over the
past three years, I suddenly realised that most road users only realise how
vulnerable they are when it’s too late and they are in a crash situation.
Every road user who values the safety of themselves and their
family/passengers should want to take this inexpensive, simple
precautionary measure and ensure a Vispack® is on board. The affordable
pack is a safeguard to all family members, should they have to exit a
vehicle at the side of the road for any reason. It is not only there to
protect the passengers of a car, but also there is a social obligation to
protect all other road users and as such the vests should be worn as needed
whether day or night.”
To minimise deaths and injuries on Europe’s roads, most European Community
members have now adopted reflective vests as a legal requirement to be
carried in all vehicles at all times. European countries are also rapidly
developing ‘on the spot’ fines for drivers not carrying a reflective vest
in the vehicle and this is being embraced right across Europe.
Mills continues, “Every month you hear news stories on the radio, both in
the UK and right across Europe, of opportunities where lives could have
been saved just by wearing a reflective vest at the side of the road. It is
likely that the UK will adopt the same approach as the rest of Europe in
the near future and Vispack® is keen to raise awareness to all road users
of the importance of visibility in the event of an emergency.”
A ‘Vispack® on board’ sticker is also included in the pack and should
be clearly displayed in the front windscreen of the vehicle below the tax
disc so that it is visible for the emergency services. The sticker will
play a major role in informing emergency services quickly, that crucial
medical information is available on board.
1. BRAKE
2. Vispack research, July 2009
About
Vispack® is designed to aid the safety of all road users as
well as to provide a centralised location for the storage of personal and
essential road safety information. Referred to as ‘The Drivers Hub’,
Vispack® is a reflective pack containing five high-visibility vests, an
information card containing roadside assistance contact details for use in
the event of an emergency, life-saving medical and personal information and
essential vehicle details. The conveniently-sized pack has a Velcro strap
designed to fix behind most vehicle headrests or it can be stored in the
glove box, foot well or behind the seat. The pack also contains a
‘Vispack® on board’ window display sticker.
Vispack® is available for road users and businesses to purchase direct
from the website. For further information visit: www.drivershub.co.uk