On March 24, 2026 — three days ago — the European Commission published its latest road safety figures. Around 19,000 people died on EU roads in 2025. Pedestrians and cyclists made up 27% of those fatalities. The single most cited contributing factor in those crashes? Visibility.

We spend a lot of time thinking about road safety at We-Flex. Our products — reflective spoke clips, reflective beanies, and visibility accessories — exist for one reason: to make people easier to see. But we don't want you to take our word for it. We want to show you what the science actually says.

The Numbers Are Getting Worse, Not Better

The EU's Vision Zero strategy aims to halve road deaths by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. But the latest data tells a different story for our region. Austria has only reduced road deaths by 5% since 2019 — one of the weakest improvements in the entire EU. In fact, based on provisional data, road deaths in Austria rose by 13.1% in 2025 compared to 2024. Germany's picture is similar: cyclist fatalities there increased by 4% in 2025, and e-scooter deaths jumped by 25%.

In towns and cities, the situation is especially critical. Vulnerable road users — pedestrians, cyclists, and those on scooters — account for 70% of all urban road fatalities across the EU. These are people commuting, exercising, or just walking home.

55 Feet vs 500 Feet: The Visibility Equation

Here's a number that changes how you think about being seen at night. Research by the American Automobile Association (AAA) found that drivers can spot a person in dark clothing from roughly 55 feet (about 17 meters) away. That gives a driver at 50 km/h less than one second to react — essentially no chance to brake.

The same person wearing reflective material? Visible from up to 500 feet (about 150 meters). That's nearly 10 times the detection distance, giving a driver 5–6 full seconds to recognise the situation and respond.

A large-scale eye-tracking study published in Safety Science confirmed this at the European level: drivers detected pedestrians in reflective vests at distances greater than 200 meters, while those in dark, grey, or white clothing were only noticed at 17–50 meters. The study was one of the largest of its kind, involving 115 drivers in real nighttime road conditions.

The "Biomotion" Effect: Why Placement Matters

Not all reflective gear is equally effective. Research from multiple institutions has shown that retroreflective material placed on the body's major joints — ankles, knees, wrists, elbows — is dramatically more effective than a simple reflective vest or chest patch.

This is called the "biomotion" effect. The human brain is wired to recognise the pattern of moving limbs as another human being. When reflective material highlights that movement, drivers identify the person faster and from further away. Studies in the journal Human Factors show that drivers detect people with biomotion reflectivity up to twice as fast compared to those with chest-only reflectors.

The Overconfidence Problem

One of the most troubling findings in visibility research is this: people consistently overestimate how visible they are at night. Researchers found that pedestrians dramatically overestimate their own nighttime conspicuity. They can see the car's headlights from far away, so they assume the driver can see them too. But the physics don't work that way — headlights illuminate a narrow cone, and a person in dark clothing is nearly invisible outside of it.

A 2013 study found that cyclists overestimated their visibility at night by more than 50%. A UK study found that while nearly all drivers agreed cyclists should wear reflective clothing in low-light conditions, only 72% of cyclists agreed — and fewer than half reported always doing so.

What Does This Mean for Austria and Germany?

In both countries, regulations already require bicycles to be equipped with spoke reflectors, pedal reflectors, and front/rear lights. But compliance and quality vary widely. Many stock reflectors are small, poorly positioned, or fall off after a few rides. And for pedestrians, runners, and e-scooter users, there are almost no visibility requirements at all.

Meanwhile, cycling is growing. Urban bike infrastructure is expanding in Vienna, Graz, Munich, and Berlin. E-scooters are everywhere. And yet the safety data for these user groups is trending in the wrong direction.

The research points to a clear set of actions:

• Use retroreflective materials, not just bright colours. Fluorescent gear helps during the day but is nearly invisible at night without retroreflective elements.
• Prioritise moving parts. Reflective material on wheels, ankles, and wrists creates biomotion signals that drivers recognise faster.
• Don't trust your instincts. You are almost certainly less visible than you think. Test it: have someone drive toward you at night and see when they spot you.
• Think 360°. Being visible from the front isn't enough. Side and rear visibility matter just as much — especially at intersections, where most cyclist and pedestrian crashes happen.

Why We Built We-Flex Around This

We-Flex exists because we believe visibility should be simple, effective, and accessible. Our reflective spoke clips turn every wheel rotation into a safety signal. Our reflective beanies keep you warm and visible during autumn and winter commutes. Every product we make is designed around the same principle the research supports: make people easier to detect, from further away, from every angle.

The data is clear. Being seen is not optional — it's the single most effective thing you can do to stay safe on the road. And small, well-placed reflective elements can be the difference between 17 meters of warning and 150.