January 1943, a US highway patrolman Raymond Trask proposed the concept of the single cataphote for pedestrians to help them be visible for drivers in a Popular Science publication. The reflector is a Finnish creation, invented by a farmer Mr. Arvi Lehti from Pertteli, a small township in Western Finland. The inventor did not consider pedestrian safety when creating the first reflectors: he simply wished to protect his horse carts and carriages. Reflectors were introduced to Finns in 1960. Nowadays one can find reflectors of all possible shapes and colours, as design and fashion industries have turned their faces towards this diminutive gadget. Special 'clip-on' reflectors for bicycles and other human-powered vehicles are also common. On first November 1963, Unece regulation number 3 entered into force in its original version. European regulations Reflector for vulnerable users and non motorized vehicles Within the European Union, safety reflectors for pedestrians must be certified to comply with the CE EN 13356 safety standard. This standard is specifically for "loose, reflective accessories for personal use". There are other standards for other types of reflectors such as safety vests and reflectors on bicycles. In Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, pedestrians are required by law to wear safety reflectors when walking during dark conditions. Reflector for motorized vehicles The EU use Unece regulation number 3 to categorize safety reflectors in several class: IA, IB, IIIA, IIIB and IVA. The EU use Unece regulation 104 for retro-reflective markings for vehicles of category M2 and M3 (transport of people), N (transport of good), O2 , O3 and O4 (trailers). This regulation use colored markings. The EU also has in its law the Council Directive 76/757/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to reflex reflectors for motor vehicles and their trailers. Image gallery Bicycle reflector A bicycle reflector or prism reflector is a common safety device found on the rear, front and wheels of bicycles. It uses the principle of retroreflection to alert another road user of the bicycle's presence on the road. The reflector is usually manufactured in the form of a moulded tile of transparent plastic. The outside surface is smooth, allowing light, such as from a car's headlights, to enter. The rear surface of the tile takes the form of an array of angled micro-prisms or spherical beads. The light striking the rear, inside surface of the