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Safety
Keeping safe while walking requires paying attention to some simple rules you may have learned in grade school.
- Cross at the corner and use the crosswalk
- Stop at the curb or edge of the street.
- Look left, right, left and behind you and in front of you for traffic.
- Wait until no traffic is coming and begin crossing.
- Keep looking for traffic until you have finished crossing.
- Walk, don’t run across the street.
- Walk against traffic on roads with no sidewalks
- Wear brightly colored and reflective clothing
- Watch for turning vehicles in front and behind you before crossing an intersection
- Look left, right and left again before crossing
- Establish eye contact and wave to drivers and cyclists to make sure they see you
- Stay to the right on off-street paths that are shared with cyclists
- Carry a flashlight if walking at night or early morning
For more tips on walking saftey, take a look at our Pedestrian Safety webpage.
Did You Know?
Although 41% of all trips made in the United States are one mile or less, fewer than 10% of all trips are made by walking and biking (1). The time it takes to walk to a nearby destination is quicker than you think! A 1-mile walk at a leisurely pace takes about 20-25 minutes, and proves to be a great source of excerise. Walking your child to school can be a great way to incorporate excercise in your day.
(1) Ham, S., et al., 2005, Trends in Walking for Transportation in the United States, 1995 and 2001, Preventing Chronic Disease