Walking Safely

Safety is a shared responsibility for all road users, including drivers and pedestrians. The following are some tips to improve road safety for pedestrians.

Safety tips for pedestrians

Be safe and be seen: make yourself visible to drivers

  • Wear bright/light colored clothing and reflective materials.
  • Carry a flashlight when walking at night.
  • Cross in a well-lit area at night.
  • Stand clear of buses, hedges, parked cars or other obstacles before crossing so drivers can see you.

Be smart and alert: avoid dangerous behaviors

  • Always walk on the sidewalk; if there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
  • Stay sober; walking while impaired increases your chance of being struck.
  • Don,t assume vehicles will stop; make eye contact with drivers, dont just look at the vehicle.
  • If a driver is on a cell phone, they may not be paying enough attention to drive safely.
  • Don,t rely solely on pedestrian signals; look before you cross the road.
  • Be alert to engine noise or backup lights on cars when in parking lots and near on-street parking spaces.

Be careful at crossings: look before you step

  • Cross streets at marked crosswalks or intersections, if possible.
  • Obey traffic signals such as WALK/DONT WALK signs.
  • Look left, right, and left again before crossing a street.
  • Watch for turning vehicles; make sure the driver sees you and will stop for you.
  • Look across ALL lanes you must cross and visually clear each lane before proceeding. Just because one motorist stops, do not presume drivers in other lanes can see you and will stop for you.
  • Dont wear headphones or talk on a cell phone while crossing.

via walkinginfo.org: Walking Safely.

Protect Kids as They Head Back to School

As the school year gets underway, it’s great to see more kids walking to – and from – school. We want to remind parents and drivers to do their part to keep these kids safe. One fun idea is walking the route to school with your child to find the best places to cross the street or discuss the importance of making eye contact with drivers before you step into the road.

Here are a few other tips that will help keep everyone safe.

Tips for Walkers

  • Developmentally, most kids can’t judge speeds and distances until at least age 10, so younger kids need to cross with an adult
  • Did you know most walking injuries happen mid-block or someplace other than intersections? Whenever possible, cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks
  • Look left, right and left again before crossing the street, and keep looking and listening while crossing
  • Walk, don’t run, when crossing the street
  • It’s always best to walk on sidewalks or paths, but if there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible
  • Remove headphones when crossing the street
  • If you need to use your phone, stop walking
  • Distraction among drivers is at an all-time high today, so try to make eye contact with the driver before you step into the road

Tips For Drivers

  • Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods and school zones, before and after school hours
  • Most walkers are injured mid-block, not at intersections, so watch out for kids who may dart into traffic or cross where they shouldn’t
  • Give pedestrians the right of way at a crosswalk
  • Using cell phones, even hands-free, makes it harder for drivers to be alert to walkers who may also be distracted on cell phones.

via Protect Kids as They Head Back to School.