WASHINGTON — A new super-reflective spray paint is being tested to see how well it illuminates nighttime bicycle riders
Swedish car maker Volvo is making the reflective spray available for free in six British bicycle stores, but says if testing goes well Life Paint will be available worldwide.
The reflective paint product is made by British startup Albedo 100.
Technically not paint, the washable material lasts about 10 days after application. It’s invisible until lit up by a car’s headlights.
Volvo says while the product is designed to be sprayed on bicycles, it can also be applied to helmets, clothes, shoes, children’s backpacks, and dog leashes and collars.
In the U.S., bicyclists accounted for 2 percent of all traffic fatalities and 2 percent of all crash-related injuries in 2012, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In a statement, Volvo’s Nick Connor said “Every year more than 19,000 cyclists are injured on the U.K.’s roads. At Volvo, we believe that the best way to survive a crash is not to crash.”
See how Life Paint works, in this promotional video from Volvo:
