Since June 5, 2013, there has been a requirement to carry a high-visibility vest in cars, trucks, etc. Here, at least one high-visibility vest must be available per vehicle occupant. Those who want to know more in detail can look up the 48th Ordinance on the amendment of road traffic regulations ( Bundesrat 445/13 ) to find out more.
“Unfortunately, this did not lead to the required improvement, as timely and noticeable as possible. Because many colleagues still store their high-visibility vests in difficult-to-reach places (e.g., under various “junk” in the storage compartment, under a seat, in corners of the truck) or, which damages the brightness of the vest, hang them over the backrest of the passenger seat. 30% of the brightness is lost solely through this “storage” and thus optimal visibility in dangerous situations is no longer given. Therefore, all vests would have to be replaced every two years. Also, considering the wear time (they will never be clean again!).”
But that is not all that Herr Strohmann has to report:
“As long as no adequate solution is found for the problem, the transitional regulation 445/13/1 now applies.” This means – at least for goods vehicles over 2.8 tons gross weight – the wearing of the high-visibility vest is now mandatory during working hours behind the wheel. This not only saves the constant putting on and taking off for many customers, but also, in the case of breakdowns, every driver is “now automatically better protected,” Strohmann continues. Whether one can counteract the fading of the color through new production methods is currently still being examined. “They were not prepared for this before. It was common to store everything that was not used daily in the dark trunk.”"
And what does this mean in plain language?
- Effective from April 1, 2015
- Applies to all drivers and passengers for vehicles over 2.8 t gross weight (also in the passenger transport sector)
- High-visibility vests in fluorescent colors. Color tones yellow, orange, or orange-red.
- 60° visibility through completely continuous reflective strips (front, back, and sides), at least 5 cm wide.
- Must be worn continuously during working hours by both the driver and the passenger.
Furthermore, due to the constant wearing and the significantly higher fading risk of the vest, it is recommended to replace them every two years with a new one. It remains to be hoped that the industry can soon produce more durable high-visibility vests, then one can at least wear a vest for a longer time.
Ah, and since this whole thing cannot happen without a fine, the fine for a violation is about 30 € on the first offense. In the case of a repeat offense, the fine is already 75 € and a point in Flensburg.
Source: ET-Radio.de
Until then, good travels and don’t forget to inform your colleagues.
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Update on September 18, 2025
Since this and also the other article on this topic are now over 10 years old, I have updated both. Not only regarding spelling, but also the links have been updated or removed because the respective pages no longer exist.
