Why Wear Reflective Clothing While Running
You’d be surprised to know that 122,000 runners get hit by cars each year! But why does something so unfortunate happen? Besides the inattentiveness of the driver, the lack of reflective clothing worn by runners is a major cause.
Why Runners Should Wear Reflective Clothing
High-visibility clothing is usually used in workplace environments where you need your workers to remain safe from accidents and fatalities. Construction workers, roadside workers, industrial workers, and others wear these clothes to remain safe. Health and Safety Regulations also require personal Protective Equipment or high-visibility clothing.
With that said, high-visibility clothing can also be worn by individuals when running, biking, jogging, or performing other physical activities. You should wear high-visibility clothes like reflective belts or a reflective running harness for running at night and in low-light conditions to help drivers see you on the road.
Why Are Reflective Clothes & Accessories Crucial
Reflective clothing and accessories identify the wearer in areas and circumstances in which they might be unsafe. Apart from workers, people should wear reflective clothing when riding a bike, cycling, running, or even walking on the road at night to increase their visibility.
Does Reflective Clothing Prevent Accidents?
Research has focused on identifying visibility challenges and factors for nighttime drivers. A study conducted by ARVO revealed that drivers were able to see pedestrians more clearly when they were wearing reflective clothing. So wearing reflective clothing and accessories does keep you safe from traffic in low-light conditions.
How to Keep Safe While Running in the Dark
If you like running at night or in low light, wear a reflective belt or reflective running harness to protect yourself. Here are some more safety tips you should follow during your nightly runs:
Run Against the Traffic
Always run against the traffic so that you can see the vehicles coming toward you. It will also make you more visible to the driver, ensuring both your safety.
Select a Well-Lit Route
Instead of heading on dimly-lit routes, choose to run on well-illuminated routes at night to keep yourself safe.
Keep Your ID on You
Regardless of the route you’re taking, or how far you’re going, you should always keep your identification card on you. It could be an ID or a tag with your details.
Try Not to Run Alone
If you want to run at night, try to find someone who can run with you. If you can’t find friends available to run at that hour, join running groups or find someone in your community. You can also run in groups since there is safety in numbers.
Bring Your Phone
Even though it might be a hassle, you should bring your cellphone on your runs to ensure your safety. You can affix it to your belt or arm.
Watch Out for Other Runners and Bikers
When running at night, keep an eye out for other runners and bikers. Staying mindful of your surroundings will help you avoid accidents.
Don’t Play Music
If you’re running at night, you should be acutely aware of your surroundings at all times. So, ditch those earbuds and remain aware of the traffic on the road.
Trust Your Instincts
Always follow your gut while running at night. If you feel unsafe, listen to your instinct and take the steps necessary to remain safe.
Enhance Your Visibility
Lastly, and most importantly, you must stay visible at night to ensure you don’t get in an accident and remain safe. The best way to boost your visibility is to wear reflective clothing and reflective belts for running.
Things to Consider When Getting Running Belts
Ideally, when you’re out running, biking, hiking, jogging, or performing any physical training at night or in low-light conditions, the least you can do to ensure your safety is to wear reflective belts for running. These reflective running belts are sometimes referred to as PT belts, a name that comes from their use in many branches of the military.
Here are some things you need to consider when getting a reflective running belt:
Material/Construction
These belts are made from durable, high-quality elastic fabric to ensure that the belt can last you a long while.
Comfort/Fit
You should also consider whether the belt is fitting you properly. The elastic material will ensure that it offers you a fine grip and great comfort. It’s also fully adjustable and designed as a one-size-fits-all belt that can wrap around waists from 28 to 49 inches.
Versatility
These belts are designed for you to wear while running, hiking, jogging, or performing other physical activities, which makes them incredibly versatile.
Visibility
The primary purpose of a reflective running belt is to ensure your visibility. These belts offer high visibility to runners in low light conditions as they feature a 2-inches wide strip with 0.75 inches of a reflective surface.
Fashionable
Besides their expert functionality and comfort to the wearer, reflective belts are incredibly stylish. You can get them in various colors, including neon yellow, pink, neon orange, white, and black.
Weight
If you’re worried that your reflective belt for running might weigh you down and make you slow on the track, you have nothing to worry about! These belts hardly weigh 2.2 ounces and are lightweight and easy to use to ensure they don’t get in the way of you running at your usual pace.
The Bottom Line
Wearing reflective clothing, accessories, and gear when out running in low light or at night is critical to ensure your safety. So shop for the appropriate reflective clothing and accessories, including reflective belts for running to protect yourself from oncoming traffic.
At 360 USA products, we have the finest collection of top-quality reflective belts you can choose from. Reach out to us today!