Four smart ways to keep yourself safe as a pedestrian

Illinois residents know the health and environmental benefits of walking. As a pedestrian, it’s smart to brush up on a few safety tips. Here are several smart ways that any pedestrian can keep themselves safe.

Make yourself visible

One of the best ways to stay safe as a pedestrian is by always keeping yourself visible. During the daytime, this might not be a difficult task to achieve. But it’s much harder for drivers to see pedestrians at night. So, wear reflective clothing or carry a flashlight while you’re walking during nighttime hours.

Avoid noise-cancelling headphones

Listening to music and walking can be enjoyable. But you shouldn’t have headphones or earbuds in your ears while you’re walking near vehicles. Many motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians happen because they didn’t hear approaching automobiles.

Stay off the road

Hopefully, you’re walking in areas that have designated paths for walkers. Unfortunately, that’s not always a possibility. If you have to choose between walking on grass or a road, always choose a grassy area. It only takes one distracted driver to unknowingly clip someone walking on a roadway.

Use crosswalks whenever possible

Many streets throughout Illinois feature crosswalks, which are areas designated for the safe passage of pedestrians. Unfortunately, some pedestrians try and save time by cutting through a street instead of using crosswalks. Otherwise known as jaywalking, this dangerous act sometimes doesn’t give drivers enough time to stop and avoid hitting a pedestrian.

As you can see, there are many ways for pedestrians to keep themselves safe. One pedestrian in the United States dies about every 75 minutes. Protect yourself by always staying aware of your surroundings as a pedestrian.