With the weather warming up, you’ll probably be spending more time outdoors. Maybe you enjoy walking or jogging around your community. Or maybe you jump on your bicycle every evening to enjoy the fresh air.
When it comes to pedestrian safety there are many things you need to know to stay safe. These are some of the many factors that can contribute to driver negligence:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Drowsy driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Failure to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks
- Failure to obey traffic signals and signs
- Failure to signal before making a turn
- Disregard for traffic or weather conditions
What you CAN control
The problem with these factors is that you don’t have any control over what negligent drivers are doing. There is no way of knowing if a driver is under the influence of alcohol or too tired to be behind the wheel. Instead, you may assume that everyone is driving in a responsible manner.
Conversely, there are things you can do as a pedestrian to improve your safety and reduce the risk of being part of an accident. Consider the following:
- Keep a close eye on all motor vehicles, ensuring that you know what’s going on around you at all times
- Face traffic when walking, jogging or riding your bicycle
- Cross the street at marked crosswalks — avoid jaywalking
- Never dart in front of a moving vehicle
- Wait for the walk signal before crossing the street
What happens after a pedestrian accident?
You never want to be part of a pedestrian accident, but it could happen. If it does, the following steps are recommended:
- Stay where you are.
- Call 911 or ask someone to do so for you.
- Wait for an ambulance to arrive.
- Focus on your health and making a full recovery.
- Learn more about the cause of the accident.
Along with these things, depending on what happened, you may also want to turn your attention to your legal rights.
