What You Can Do as a Driver and Pedestrian to Improve Pedestrian Safety

Posted on by Defensive Driving | in Defensive Driving Tips

Walking is a great way to get from one place to another. You can burn some calories, enjoy the fresh air, and even save some money on gas. However, the safety of pedestrians is a serious concern. According to the FiA Foundation, thousands of innocent people are getting killed every day by simply choosing to walk to their destination. Many of these people are children on their way to school. While these accidents are often the fault of the drivers, sometimes the pedestrians are to blame as well.

What can I do as a driver to keep pedestrians safe?

First and foremost, you can drive defensively. Have both hands on the wheel and always keep your eyes on the road. Pedestrians can easily appear when you least expect them to, and you need to be able to respond quickly. When something distracts you, like a cell phone or the radio, your car probably swerves a little bit. While this little swerve is oftentimes no big deal, it can prove detrimental if there is a pedestrian in your midst.

Second, you should ALWAYS stop behind the white line at a crosswalk. It can be especially tempting to simply slow down when making a right-hand turn, but there may be a pedestrian that you cannot see because of the car next to you. For more tips on how to drive defensively to avoid pedestrians, check out our defensive driving course.

What if I am the pedestrian?

If you are the one doing your part to save the planet by choosing to walk to your destination, good for you! However, there are still rules of the road that you need to follow. Always use sidewalks and crosswalks when they are available. This may seem obvious, but you wouldn’t believe how many people walk on the road when there is a sidewalk right next to them. It is called a sidewalk for a reason, walk on it.

When using a crosswalk, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adds that you should continually check for traffic around you as you cross. Do not assume that every car will stop for you. Make contact with each car’s driver before you proceed to walk in front of them.

If you are walking in the dark, wear light-colored clothing with reflectors. If you do not have any reflective clothing, always carry a flashlight with you so that drivers can see you.

|

Customer Reviews

Defensivedriving.com has a ShopperApproved rating of 4.7 based on 124699 ratings and reviews.

Miguel Santiago TX, United States
Great experience and easy
Kari Blalock united states
No issues. Easy to use.
Julio Perozo Wong None, united states
friendly and Easey
Matthew Wells None, united states
It was easy
Cassidy Blake None, united states
User friendly
Juan Morales-Cotto None, united states
Easy process
Dwight Bauermeister united states
Great service
Alejandro Macias united states
So far so good
Vijaya Lella united states
Nice experience. Easy to navigate. Videos are not too boring.
Ty Stanley None, united states
It’s very easy and quick
Tyrone Flowers Jr. None, united states
great
Kolton Smith None, united states
pretty efficient website.
Julio Nazario TX, united states
It was a great experience.
Robert Cortinas None, united states
fast
Courtney Richards None, united states
It was a quick process to sign up, ready to finish course.
Robert Pickens None, united states
Simple and quick
Daniela Ruiz united states
Website is So easy navigate and everything is explained so well
Edward Texas, united states
Course is informative and interesting.
Logan Dawson None, united states
Yall did great thank you
Stuart Pasley None, united states
Simple
Della Street-Leinart None, united states
Quick, easy and affordable.
Alexus Broome None, united states
easy to use
hdeal alabodi united states
Good experience
Lauren FULKERSON united states
Easy to use
Akhil Gajulavarti Texas, united states
Overall, it's good
Avery Ballmann TX, united states
It's great!
Eric Varela None, united states
Very Easy and fast service, all Texas Courts approve it
Sandreika Barber None, united states
Fast to navigate thru
Jose Carreon None, united states
Just awesome teaching techniques
Andres Alaniz None, united states
easy
Amanda Corley None, united states
all good
John Sanchez Texas, united states
Easy to follow
Luis Anchondo united states
Great!!!!
Zachary Hird None, united states
very easy to use
Meghan Stevenson None, united states
Fast and easy
Donna Collins None, united states
easy
See all reviews on shopperApproved.com
Why DefensiveDriving.com
  • 20 Years in Business
  • Over 2 Million Customers Served
  • Highest Possible Better Business Bureau Rating
  • Award Winning Course