Clare Council has passed a motion urging the Department of Transport to make hi-vis vests mandatory for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Councillors argued that the move is necessary on road safety grounds, with motorists complaining that they sometimes struggle to see cyclists or pedestrians. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Fine Gael Councillor Pat Burke said he recently had a “close shave myself”. 

“Recently, I find that people out walking in the evenings, they go off for their walk and it gets dark by the time they get home and they don't bother wearing a hi-vis jacket,” he said. 

“To me, that just beggars belief.”

Cyclists wearing high-vis jackets. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

However, Cllr Burke admitted he did not know how the legislation would work in practice.

Still, he believes a system of fines could be introduced. 

“I don't think it's fair and motorists in rural areas and on regional roads come around a bend and find somebody wearing dark clothes instead of putting on a hi-vis jacket,” he said. 

“The same as not wearing a seat belt, I suppose, or getting caught on your mobile phone or whatever. 

“This is in everybody's interest and in the interest of safety for both, mainly pedestrians as opposed to cyclists.”

Cllr Burke added that hi-vis vests are less of a necessity in urban areas, but it would be unfair on rural Ireland to exclude city residents from the law. 

“I wouldn't be 100% sure of that in the likes of Dublin city, where you have plenty of street lighting and that,” he said. 

“It's not as critical as in the countryside.

“I suppose it's difficult to have one law for one and one for the other, that's why I'd be saying if it has to be across the board, a hi-vis jacket is no weight to carry 

“Stick on the hi-vis jacket there, when you're heading out day or night.”

Clare Council has yet to receive a reply from the Department of Transport but expects one next month.

Main image: Pedestrians wearing hi-vis jackets. Picture by: Alamy.com.