Pedestrian Safety Tips
Each year, REMSA Health responds to hundreds of motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrians versus auto accidents. As daylight saving time ends, pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers must be vigilant to keep our streets safe for everyone.
Awareness and education are vital to changing behavior and creating safer habits – by working together, we can reduce these kinds of accidents. We’ve included some tips for pedestrians and drivers to consider next time they’re out on the road.
Pedestrian safety tips:
– Always walk on the sidewalk. If you must walk on the road, always walk facing traffic as far away as possible.
– Tips for crossing the street:
– Cross only at corners or marked crosswalks.
– Stop at the curb or the edge of the road.
– Stop and look left, then right, then look again before you step into the street.
– If a car is parked where you are crossing, make sure there isn’t a driver in the car. Proceed to the edge of the car and look left-right-left until no cars are coming. Keep looking for cars while you are crossing; remember to walk. Don’t run.
– Don’t be distracted by electronic devices.
– Dress to be seen. Wearing brightly colored clothing during the day and special reflective materials and flashing lights at night will make it easier for drivers to see you.
– Though you may think a driver can see you, that may not always be the case. Make eye contact with drivers as they approach you to ensure you are seen.
– Refrain from using alcohol and drugs when walking.
– Before walking, map out a safe walking route.
– Always walk on well-lit paths when they are available.
Safety tips for drivers:
– Stay off of all your electronic devices. If you need to take a call, pull over to the side of the road.
– Be mindful of school zones and crosswalks.
– When turning at a crosswalk, always expect people to be on the road. Turn slowly.
– Slow down – if you hit someone at 30 mph, you are twice as likely to kill them than if you hit them at 25 mph. In addition, a driver traveling at 20 mph can stop in three car lengths; a driver traveling at 40 mph takes as much as nine car lengths to stop.
– Give yourself extra time to get to your desired location.
– Do not drink and drive – there are plenty of safe options out there, including RTC Transit, Lyft, and Uber.
– When vehicles are stopped at a crosswalk, don’t pass them.
– When backing up your vehicle, be cautious of your surroundings.
Pedestrian vs. auto accidents are more likely to occur when we aren’t paying proper attention to the road. In the event of a pedestrian vs. auto accident, here are some essential tips to follow:
– Don’t panic. Call 9-1-1 to report your accident
– Log the event on your mobile device, take photos of the vehicle, your injuries, and the accident scene.
– If eyewitnesses are at the location, compose a list of their full names and numbers.
– If anyone at the scene is severely injured, seek medical attention immediately.
As it gets darker earlier, these tips are even more important when walking or driving on the road. An educated community is a safe community. We all have a shared responsibility to ensure safer roads. Please share this post to build awareness of how we can all be safer on the roads.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding pedestrian safety in your community, please call or visit the following websites:
– Reno Direct at 775-334-4636 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or use their online form to report an issue.
– Call Washoe 311 by dialing 311 or 775-328-2003 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or use their online form to report an issue.
– Call the City of Sparks main line at 774-353-5555 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
REMSA Health is a member of a local task force, Vision Zero Truckee Meadows. To learn more about pedestrian safety, please visit https://visionzerotruckeemeadows.com/.
