Today is Walk to Work Day 2022! Each year in April, this day is an opportunity to celebrate the many benefits of having safe and convenient spaces to walk for all ages and abilities. Having a walkable community benefits everyone, with public health promoting benefits like improved fitness, reduced health risks, and a greater sense of community.
Unfortunately, pedestrian injuries and fatalities continue to rise. According to the latest 2020 annual crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), pedestrian fatalities increased by 3.9% with 6,516 deaths for people walking in 2020 vs 6,272 pedestrian deaths in 2019. Visit the NHTSA pedestrian safety website for the latest safety resources, data, and guidebooks and explore the selection of pedestrian safety tips below.
Safety Tips for People Driving
- Look out for pedestrians everywhere, at all times.
- Use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions, such as nighttime or bad weather.
- Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk.
- Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop well back from the crosswalk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see the crossing pedestrians so they can stop too.
- Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There may be people crossing where you can’t see.
- Never drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
- Follow the speed limit, especially around people on the street, in school zones and in neighborhoods where children are present.
- Be extra cautious when backing up and look for pedestrians.
Safety Tips for People Walking
- Follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals.
- Walk on sidewalks whenever they are available.
- If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible.
- Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Look for cars in all directions, including those turning left or right.
- If a crosswalk or intersection is not available, locate a well-lit area where you have the best view of traffic. Wait for a gap in traffic that allows enough time to cross safely; continue watching for traffic as you cross.
- Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways, or backing up in parking lots.