Hi-viz vests must be made compulsory

Cavan County Council is to initiate a change in road safety measures by calling for the compulsory wearing of hi-visibility clothing while walking and cycling in public places.

The move followed on from a notice of motion on the matter by Cllr Damien Brady (SF) who highlighted the number of pedestrians and cyclists using public roads during the dark evenings with “no hi-viz vests on them”.

He called for them to be made compulsory and called on the local authority to write to the Department of Transport and Road Safety Authority (RSA) so that this idea could be developed further.

Cllr Brady went on to say that he recently visited a local school in his capacity as a fireman to speak with children about fire safety.“I asked the children how many wore hi-viz vests when cycling or walking to school and no hands went up,” he continued before adding that it made him realise the need to address the issue.

“By simply wearing hi-viz vests, serious injury or death can be prevented. Between 2019 and 2023, 164 pedestrians died and 1,436 were seriously injured on our roads. Of those 1,436, 21% were children under the age of 15 years. I believe that if we start highlighting the problem in our schools, the situation can and will change.”

Cllr Winston Bennett (FG) gave his “full support” to the motion. He told those gathered that he has encountered people out walking and cycling in “the darkest clothing they have” over the last couple of months. “People should be made to wear hi-viz vests and if they don’t wear them, then they should be arrested and charged,” he fumed.

Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Áine Smith said she got a “hop” recently while driving her car along a local rural road after encountering a pedestrian out walking in the dark with no hi-viz clothing in sight.

“We have all experienced this type of a situation,” she continued before pointing out that, while educating children in schools about the matter is necessary, it is equally important for parents lead by example and wear hi-viz clothing as well. Cllr Noel Connell (SF) told the meeting that it was his belief that it should be an offence not wear a hi-viz vest; while Cllr John Paul Feeley (FF) added that motorists also needed to be educated around the importance of “turning on their lights”.

“It’s amazing the amount of cars and vans that travel along with no lights on,” he said.

“Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers are all inconsiderate towards other road users. The amount of reckless behaviour on our roads that is going unpoliced is unacceptable. People need to behave properly; wear hi-viz clothing and turn on the lights!”.