The weather is warming up, and kids are starting to get out of school. Summertime brings a lot of people out, which means there is an increase in pedestrians and vehicles on the road. This means pedestrian safety is even more crucial. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a pedestrian dies every 88 minutes in traffic accidents, on average.
The risk of getting hurt as a pedestrian can be even higher during summer as there are more drivers on the road, including inexperienced ones. Here are some tips to be a safe pedestrian this summer.
Leave the headphones at home (or in your pocket)
You may like to go for a stroll or jog while listening to your favorite music, but this can put you at risk. If you cannot hear your surroundings, you may end up in an accident. The safest thing to do is keep yourself free from any distractions so you can anticipate oncoming vehicles.
Be predictable
Unfortunately, many motorists are not as alert as they should be. A lot of drivers do not pay attention to pedestrians, so you should be as predictable as possible. This means using sidewalks and crosswalks when available. You should also try to make eye contact with any drivers while you are crossing the street to ensure they notice you.
Take extra precautions at night
You are more likely to be involved in a pedestrian accident when it gets dark – in fact, the most pedestrian accidents happen between 6 p.m. and 8:59 p.m. If you are going on a later walk, you should take extra care to be visible. This means you may need to wear reflective materials or brightly colored clothes. You may also want to carry a flashlight – most smartphones come with flashlights nowadays. Keeping a flashlight on while walking in dark areas will help motorists avoid you.
