As a pedestrian, you must always be aware of your surroundings. This is particularly true of motor vehicles, as an accident is likely to result in serious injury or death.
Here are five pedestrian safety tips to follow at all times:
Obey the rules of the road: For example, don’t cross at an intersection if the light is telling you to stop.
Use sidewalks, when available: While sidewalks aren’t always available, you’ll typically be able to find one. Doing so keeps you as far away from moving traffic as possible.
Avoid distractions: You can fall prey to a number of distractions while walking, such as listening to music, texting or eating and drinking.
Never give drivers the benefit of the doubt: For example, if you assume that someone sees you, you’re giving that person too much credit. Make eye contact with nearby drivers to ensure that they know where you are.
Maintain a high level of visibility: This is particularly true when walking at night. By wearing bright-colored clothing, it’s easier for drivers to see you.
It can be a challenge to follow these safety tips, especially if you’ve never run into trouble in the past. However, if you ignore these, there’s a greater likelihood of being injured in an accident.
If you’re injured in a car-pedestrian accident, move to safety, call 911 and administer first aid until help arrives.
Your top priority is to stabilize your health, as this puts you on the path to making a full recovery. From there, contact your insurance company and take steps toward holding the negligent driver responsible for their actions.