New Umbrella Invention Designed To Save Pedestrian Lives

Design motivated by increasing pedestrian vehicle crashes in major urban centers.

NEWMARKET, Ontario - Feb. 7, 2019 - PrAtlas -- With thousands of people struck by vehicles across Greater Toronto in 2018, last year will go down as one of the worst ever for pedestrian deaths on city streets.
On one single dark, wet evening in November, 17 area pedestrians were struck by vehicles in under four and a half hours.

Now a Newmarket based umbrella company, LifeLight Umbrella, is helping to reduce these tragedies with what it bills as the world's first collapsible umbrella built exclusively for pedestrian life safety.

"There is no question our new umbrella can save countless lives particularly during wet, low lighting conditions," says John Vickers, company president. "Pedestrian crashes are increasing in many urban centers across North America and it really is carnage out there on our streets. LifeLight Umbrella was a product idea i have had for some time and these tragedies motivated me to bring that idea into reality."

Among the umbrella's unique features is a bright flashing led light on the roof of the canopy (controlled by an on-off handle switch) and two layers of high visibility light reflective trim designed to alert drivers of a pedestrian's presence from up to 140 meters (450 feet) away at 50km (30mph) speeds. In addition, the umbrella using existing market technology with a built-in led flashlight handle designed to light up a person's body and the ground in front of them. In non-precipitation conditions, the umbrella can also be carried as a flashing light stick.

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Vickers adds that he also has incorporated additional ideas into his design which include a wind venting system to prevent the umbrella collapsing and keep users safe when crossing windy urban corridors, LifeLight may also be one of the last umbrellas users have to buy as it features a technology pocket designed to fit most common Bluetooth trackers. A tracker has the ability to inform users via their mobile phones they have left their umbrella behind at a premise.

Vickers says feedback from early users of the product in both Canada and in the US has been extremely positive and is hoping to also export his umbrella to other countries. http://www.lifelightumbrella.com