Going for a walk is good for one’s health, and it can reduce transportation costs if someone walks to pick up an item from the store or to meet friends for coffee. Others may jog or run on public roads as a means of staying fit or possibly training for an upcoming race.
Despite the health benefits of regular walking, there are safety concerns that must be taken into consideration. Pedestrians too often end up hurt by motor vehicles. While car insurance can reimburse a pedestrian for their injury-related expenses, no amount of money can undo the pain and trauma someone experiences when they get struck by a motor vehicle. These are a few of the primary ways that Indiana pedestrians can make personal choices to reduce their personal risk of injury.
They can plan appropriate routes
One of the most important safety factors when walking or jogging on a road shared with motor vehicles rather than a designated pedestrian path is the speed of the nearby traffic. Of course, drivers can exceed the posted limit by an irresponsible amount even in residential neighborhoods. However, the higher the speed limit on a road, the faster the likely flow of traffic.
Residential and business neighborhoods with lower speed limits will be substantially safer than streets where the flow of traffic is 30 miles per hour (mph) or higher. At such speeds, individuals are at significantly elevated risk of both injury and death. Roughly one in four crashes will lead to death, and half of any collisions that occur at 30 mph will result in serious bodily injury for the pedestrian.
They can prioritize their visibility to drivers
One of the top reasons that drivers give for causing pedestrian crashes is that they did not notice the pedestrian. When joggers and other people out walking by the road wear bright colors or illuminated equipment that draw the eye, they are less likely to end up hurt by motorists focused on what their brain perceives as more significant safety threats.
Pedestrians can also reduce their risk of a crash by choosing to cross at marked locations whenever possible and otherwise treating drivers as though they may not see them. Making informed safety choices can help individuals reduce their personal risk of a pedestrian crash and the injuries one would likely cause.