Awesome Safety

You’d think that a simple Walk/Don’t Walk sign would be enough to keep people from crossing against traffic, but it’s not. VFXHD came up with some creative methods for keeping pedestrians from getting run over. While the boxing gloves and hammer setups are silly, the water curtain and pop-up barriers aren’t bad ideas.

Never worry about nighttime visibility on your bike again. Bright Eyes‘ headlight cranks out 1600 lumens on its high setting. Thanks to an external battery pack, it can run from 4 to 16 hours depending on brightness level. It fits all bike handlebars, and comes with a diffuser lens and a free LED taillight.

This heads-up display was designed to prevent trucks from entering tunnels they can’t fit into. It uses a super-bright laser projector to display a massive STOP sign on a curtain of water. Laservision has used similar technology in the entertainment industry to create incredible projection effects.

Chrome makes a series of excellent accessories optimized for nighttime visibility. The collection includes a windbreaker jacket, messenger bag, backpack, sling bag, sneakers, socks, and caps, all featuring highly reflective materials integrated into their designs.

These LED-illuminated bike pedals improve nighttime safety while looking awesome. They’re much brighter than standard bike lights and have sensors to keep the white light forward and red light backward. Their light modules can be removed for charging or attached to other locations such as handlebars or a seat post.

GETXGO kit is a waterproof and fire-resistant bag that can help you survive in an emergency. The kit comes with food, water, and first aid supplies, as well as a solar battery pack, charging cables, and a crank-powered radio. An upgraded version includes a matching backpack and a fireproof pouch for important documents.

RydeSafe’s iron-on dots are designed to improve visibility and safety when riding your bike at night. they’re made using microscopic glass beads that concentrate and reflect light, and come in a variety of shapes, so you can make whatever pattern you’d like on your clothing. also makes reflective stick-ons for your bike.

This modern bike helmet not only protects your head, it dramatically improves your visibility with its LED lighting. It has front-mounted white lights, and rear lights that brighten when braking. Its left- and right-turn signals can be triggered from a handlebar remote or with Apple Watch gestures.

Improve your visibility and personal safety at night with these weather-resistant LED tags that clip onto clothes, bags, and shoes using magnets. Each one has four bright LEDs, which can light up in solid or flashing modes. They last for up to 70 hours between battery changes.

If you’re ever in a car accident and can’t get your door open, smashing the window may be the only way to escape. This emergency tool can easily shatter a window and cut through seat belt webbing. It also packs a white LED flashlight, a red SOS light, and a built-in 2200 mAh battery pack for recharging your phone in a pinch.

Designed to combat blazes while keeping humans at a safe distance, Textron Systems and Howe & Howe’s remote-operated robots can blast 1,250-2,500 gallons of water per minute. The robots can climb stairs, shove and winch vehicles, and endure extreme heat. Would also be fun as a response to Elon Musk’s flamethrowers.

This smartly-designed wearable conceals a fabric face mask inside of the brim of a baseball cap, keeping personal protection at the ready for when you need it, and hiding it away when not in use. The face mask pulls around your chin to keep it in place, and is removable for hand-washing.

Until there’s a vaccine for COVID-19, it’s critical that we wear our masks when we’re around other people. Everyday Carry rounded up a dozen fabric masks created by gear makers, each representing a substantial upgrade over those paper surgical masks, and many contributing to relief efforts as part of your purchase.

KeySmart hops on the personal safety bandwagon with their version of a remote touch tool. The Cleankey puts distance between your fingertips and public surfaces using germ-resistant brass. It can push buttons, pull levers, and open door handles without touching them. Save 33% on this 3-pack in The Awesomer Shop.

Like the Hygiene Hand, the bomb-shaped Safe Nuke is designed to put a little distance between your fingertips and public surfaces. The tiny tool is made from antimicrobial copper, and features a touchscreen-compatible stylus on its tip. Plus, its attached paracord can be looped around door handles.

Next time you have to work on your knees, protect your body with these specialized knee pads. Instead of having to crawl around or constantly stand up, Milescraft’s Knee Blades let you smoothly glide to your next spot. They feature detachable gel pad cushions, non-marring casters, and can easily spin 360º. (Thanks Warren!)

While we’re all practicing social distancing, it’s important to know how to handle yourself should you feel a cough or sneeze coming on. This fascinating video from Amayu Wakoya Gena at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar uses schlieren imaging to compare how our breath disperses in different coughing scenarios.

Find your way out of the darkest spots with NEBO’s super-bright headlamp. It cranks out up to 1000 lumens in its Turbo setting, and will run up to 4 hours at 450 lumens and 27 hours at 30 lumens. It provides versatility with its 180-degree vertical pivot, and a magnetic base, and durability with its IP66-rated aluminum housing.

This modern bicycle helmet has a rear-mounted grid of 77 color LEDs which can be used to indicate when you’re braking or turning, as well as to display animations. The LEDs can be activated via handlebar controls or an Apple Watch app. In addition, there’s a row of bright white LEDs in front which improve forward visibility.

Crash testing cars has saved countless lives, but with the forces that race cars regularly face, they need to be built very differently. Safety testing center IMMI shows off their Center for Advanced Product Evaluation with the tubular chassis of a sprint car. The tests include various wall crashes, and even a ceiling drop.

If you live somewhere that snow coats roads in the wintertime, you’ll want to check out Engineering Explained’s latest clip, as Jason walks us through the variables at work when driving on slippery surfaces, and provides some tips on how to maintain control on the snow.

When you get in trouble and you don’t know right from wrong… give a little whistle! This titanium keychain whistle from WE Knife should do the trick rather nicely, with a blaring 120-decibel output, you’ll be heard from quite a distance should you get into trouble. Available with a blue, purple, or green tinge of color.

A new version of the Flectr bike reflector that ensures your bike remains visible from every angle when hit by headlights. The revamped design is more streamlined and stylish than ever, while visibility is better too. Installation is easy – just clean your bike rims, peel the backing, and stick.

The perfect light source for automotive emergencies, Striker’s flexible flashlight can stand itself up, and be pointed in the direction where you need light, whether for fixing a flat, or poking around under the hood. It also attaches to steel surfaces thanks to its magnetic base, and has three blinking hazard LEDs on its back.

YouTube’s premiere mechanic ChrisFix shows us how to make a hidden kill switch for your vehicle. When switched on, it interrupts the flow of electricity to the vehicle’s fuel pump relay, preventing it from starting, even with a key. It takes a bit of fiddling, but it costs only $10 in parts.

These polarized eyeglasses reduce glare from bright lights and wet surfaces. They’re great for driving or cycling at nighttime and on cloudy, rainy or foggy days. Their frames are flexible and lightweight. They come in a variety of designs, and clip-on models.