Transportation -

Pedestrian Safety Tips

No one wants to be involved with the tragedy of a pedestrian accident. The way to protect yourself is to be aware and to take extra care to make up for the pedestrian or driver who might not be as cautious.  Take a minute to read over these tips, then share it with your family and friends.

Most Recent Pedestrian Crash Analysis

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Tips for Pedestrians

1. Cross where there are signals or crossing guards whenever possible.
   
2. At the signal, cross only when the "walk" signal is displayed.
   
3. Check for traffic before stepping into the crosswalk, staying alert for turning vehicles, vehicles running the red light, and drivers who might not have seen you. Do not start to cross until all traffic has stopped.
   
4. Be careful around driveways. Even though you are on the sidewalk, a vehicle turning in or out of the driveway must cross the sidewalk and the driver might not be aware of pedestrians.
   
5. At crossings without signals, cross the street one lane at a time. Cross into the next lane only when it is absolutely safe to do so.
6. Before stepping out to cross, first look left, then right, then left again to check for any traffic.
   
7. Never assume the next lane will stop or that a driver sees you just because the lane you are crossing has stopped. Often when a vehicle stops, it blocks the view of the pedestrian for drivers in other lanes.
   
8. Be very careful around ice cream trucks. It's exciting to buy a treat, but keep your mind on crossing the street safely.
9. Be extra careful when you get off a bus, making sure to carefully look for traffic before crossing.
   
10. Parents, walk the routes to school with your children. Show them the proper places to cross and how to stay safe. Do the same for other walking routes your children use.
11. If possible, avoid walking and crossing the street in the dark. If you must do so, wear brightly colored or reflective clothing. 

Tips for Drivers

1. Wear sunglasses to avoid glare. Keep your windshield and glasses clean.
   
2. Remember that all corners have crosswalks. Some are painted on the streets or indicated by signs, but most are unmarked. A crosswalk still exists there, even when unmarked.
   
3. Remember, pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks, even if the crosswalk is unmarked.
   
4. Look for pedestrians stepping out from between parked cars. Where there are lots of parked cars, there will likely be pedestrians.
   
5. Drivers see motion first. When you see a motion, even from the corner of your eye, look to see what moved.
   
6. Look for pedestrians before you enter or exit a driveway. This is when you cross the sidewalk where pedestrians walk. Since they're on the sidewalk, they might be less alert than when crossing streets.
   
7. Clear all blind spots to be sure there is no one around. Don't assume no one is there until you check.
   
8. Use side windows to look around you before backing up. Checking mirrors is not enough.
   
9. Look all around your vehicle, all the time. Keep your eyes moving.
   
10. Take special care around ice cream trucks that stop for children. The excitement of buying a treat can distract a child's attention from traffic. Be careful and drive slowly when you see one of the ice cream vendors.
11. Take extra care around buses, especially school buses.
    
12. Sure, people who cross outside of crosswalks are jaywalkers and they are in the wrong. But that doesn't make them targets. Stay alert and watch out for such people. You want to protect yourself from all accidents.
    
13. Teach your family about pedestrian safety. Walk with them to where they cross streets so you are sure they are using the safest routes and know how to watch out for themselves.

Awareness: The Key to Ending Pedestrian Accidents

It is estimated that as many as 99 percent of pedestrian accidents could be eliminated if people took a little extra caution at crosswalks.