Pedestrian Safety
Walking to and from school is a pleasant, sustainable method of transportation! Nonetheless, when sharing the road with vehicles, pedestrians must be aware of their surroundings.
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(Safety tips are according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.)
Before you leave home...
Follow these three steps.
Keep your ears open!
Wear bright colors!
Assume the worst.
Save the music for when you are safe at home! With music blaring in your ears, you cannot properly hear the traffic around you. Keep your ears open in order to maximize safety.
Wearing bright-colored clothing, as opposed to dark shades like black and blue, increase your visibility to those on wheels.
Never blindly walk into an intersection under the assumption that drivers will see you and stop. Make eye contact and watch the car arrive at a stop before stepping into the road.
Where to Walk
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Pedestrians should always remain on the sidewalk. If no sidewalk is available, walk facing traffic and maximize the distance between yourself and cars.
Where to Cross
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Ideally, cross the street only at crosswalks or intersections. Some crosswalks will notify cars to stop with a stop sign; some, a flashing beacon. In other cases, pedestrians have the sole responsibility of communicating with drivers.
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No matter what, always stop before entering the road, look both ways, and ensure that vehicles see you before moving forward.
