Requirements
High-visibility vest: when must you wear one after a breakdown?
Outside built-up areas, wear a reflective vest or braces when leaving the vehicle in situations covered by the Code.
After a forced stop outside built-up areas, a driver who leaves and walks on the road must wear a high-visibility reflective vest or braces; the requirement also covers emergency lanes and lay-bys.
When to wear high-visibility equipment
Article 162 links the requirement to forced stops outside built-up areas and to warning other road users about a stopped vehicle. If you need to get out and walk on the road, put on the high-visibility reflective vest or braces first; the requirement also applies when the vehicle is in an emergency lane or lay-by. Do not wait until you are exposed to traffic to look for the equipment in the boot.
Keep the vest in the passenger compartment where you can reach it without stepping out on the traffic side. If the vehicle breaks down, switch on hazard lights and assess the location first; if you must place the warning triangle or seek help, make yourself visible as required. Passengers should wait in a protected area where possible and avoid walking along the carriageway.
The vest and triangle have different purposes
Reflective equipment makes a person visible; the triangle warns approaching drivers about a stopped vehicle. One does not replace the other when both requirements apply. Choose compliant equipment that is easy to reach, and put it on before carrying out roadside operations. At night, in rain or poor visibility, caution matters even more, but the requirement is not limited to night-time.
For example, if a breakdown forces you to stop in a lay-by outside a built-up area and you get out to call for help, wear the equipment before leaving the vehicle. Follow any other article 162 requirements for warning traffic. Quiz Patente Ufficiale helps review signs and B rules through quizzes, explanations and error review; it does not replace emergency equipment carried in the vehicle.
Quiz Patente Ufficiale helps review signs and B rules with quizzes, explanations and error review; it does not replace emergency equipment.
Frequently asked questions
Must I wear a vest in a lay-by?
Article 162 extends the requirement to emergency lanes and lay-bys in the specified forced-stop situations.
Does a vest replace the warning triangle?
No. The vest makes a person visible; the triangle warns about the stopped vehicle and has its own conditions of use.