Glow-in-the-dark paint protects cyclists then washes off
A car companyis testing a new kind of paint that could keep bike riders safe on the road at night.
Dubbed Life Paint, the product is a clear mist that reflects headlights when sprayed on clothes or a bike. Life Paint is being test driven in the U.K., where accidents involving bikes are common.
"There are 19,000 accidents in the U.K. every year - bike accidents," Hollie Newton, Creative Director with the Grey London Advertising Agency, told CBS News' Jonathan Vigliotti.
Life Paint may seem like an unlikely product for it's developer, Volvo. The carmaker says it's a way to make roads safer, since studies have shown increasing pedestrian and cyclist visibility reduces the chances of accidents.
The company showed off another approach to bike safety at the International Consumer Electronics Show in January. It is developing technology that alerts drivers to the possibility of a collision with a cyclist, and vice versa, by coordinating GPS locations from the car and the biker's smartphone.
Volvo's "Vision 2020" plan states that "by 2020, nobody shall be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo." Volvo Cars safety expert Anders Eugensson said on the company website "the goal is unique in that Volvo Cars has designated a year and is showing a social responsibility that also extends to people in other vehicles and pedestrians."
Life Paint is instantly visible with even the slightest amount of light. It was originally tested on reindeer in Finland by a Swedish company called Albedo100 -- to light up their antlers in an effort to prevent car accidents. It is safe for your skin and can be washed off clothes.
"You can use it while you're out biking. You could equally use it on backpacks for kids going to school," Newton said.
Limited batches of cans are hitting London bike shops. Volvo says Life Paint could light up American roads later this year. Cans are expected to cost around $5 apiece.