Hungarian motorists confused by law on reflective vests

A new regulation on reflective vests which became effective on January 1, 2008, is confusing Hungarian motorists. While it is not compulsory to keep a reflective vest in the car, wearing it is required for pedestrians and cyclists outside inhabited areas during bad visibility conditions, i.e. at night and in bad weather. This means that if a driver gets out of the car under these conditions, they can be fined for not wearing reflective clothing or "reflective surfaces," making it recommendable to purchase a vest and keep it in the car.

Tibor Jámbor, an associate of the Traffic Department of the national police force, told Népszava that keeping a reflective vest in the car is not required by any regulation, despite what most people believe. However, if the driver has to get out of the car - because it breaks down, for example - under bad visibility conditions, they can be fined for up to Ft 30,000 (€112) if they do not wear any "reflective surfaces." This can be a vest, available for a few hundred forints at large home improvement stores, or reflective armbands, which can be purchased at gas stations.

Sometimes police officers are not aware of the regulation and warn motorists if they do not have a reflective vest in their car.

In some European countries, such as Austria and Italy, reflective vests are required to be kept in the passenger space, and motorists who fail to do so can be fined several thousand euros.

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