In the context of the current energy crisis, the Conference of Mayors has decided to switch off public lighting in the entire Brussels Region 30 minutes earlier.
From October to November, the number of pedestrian accidents in Brussels increases by 28% during the evening rush hour. Brussels Mobility takes concrete measures to equip and make vulnerable road users, including children/young people, aware. In the context of the current energy crisis, the Conference of Mayors has decided to switch off public lighting in the entire Brussels Region 30 minutes earlier. This measure, linked to the imminent changeover to winter time, prompted Brussels Mobility to remind drivers of the general rules of caution and vulnerable road users a few tips to be as visible as possible in traffic!
Adjust your speed, be extra careful especially at intersections.
By turning off street lights 30 minutes earlier in the morning, vulnerable road users are even more exposed to the risks associated with darkness. Drivers, respect the infrastructure for other users and adjust your speed! Remember that the standard speed limit in Brussels is 30 km/h unless otherwise indicated (on certain major roads) and 20 km/h in residential areas!
Lighting sets to thank cyclists
To thank cyclists and encourage them to keep using their bicycles during the winter months, Brussels Mobility organizes the annual campaign “Be Bright, use a light”. Cyclists can enjoy breakfast on Thursday, October 20 from 7:00 am to 9:30 am at various crossroads in the Region (Sainctelette, Troon, Lehon, Wiener, etc.). Stewards are deployed at certain intersections in Brussels to give cyclists who are not visible a set of lighting.
Mandatory equipment
Think of the mandatory equipment of bicycles AND scooters:
- a white front lamp and a red rear lamp, visible at 100 meters.
- a white reflector at the front and a red reflector at the back.
- for bicycles: a white or orange reflector on the pedals & reflectors on the wheels or a reflective strip on the tires or spokes.
- for scooters: a white reflective strip on each side of the footpegs or in a circle shape on each side of the tires.
Actions for schools
The “Be Bright, use a light” action will also take place in 26 secondary schools in the region, where kits and breakfasts will be provided to raise awareness among students who come by bicycle.
In the context of the "Action SatchelBrussels Mobility is organizing a visibility experiment from November 28 to December 2 at a special location below the South Station. The students of the fifth and sixth grade are made aware of the importance of visibility in the dark. They are plunged into darkness in a 50-meter-long space, with only the headlights of a car as the light source. Soon they will discover in which clothes they are most visible…
Did you know that?
The reflective material makes active users visible up to 150 meters in the dark in the headlights of cars, compared to 20 meters with dark clothing. Remember that the minimum stopping distance of a car is 26 meters at 50 km/h and 13 meters at 30 km/h, according to Brussels Mobility.
