The hustle and bustle of the holidays are upon us and
visiting shopping centers, attending parties, discussing holiday gifts with
loved ones and even online shopping are a huge part of the season. During this
festive time of year, we need to remember one thing – stay alert while
traveling.
Whether you text or drive, or text and walk at the same
time, both activities are dangerous. The National Safety Council said that
distracted walking incidents are on the rise and everyone with a cell phone is
at risk of serious injury if they don’t pay attention while walking.
In 2016, 5,987 pedestrians were killed in the United States.
A contributing factor for this rise in
fatalities is not paying attention to our surroundings. This is putting our
safety, and the safety of others, at risk.
The solution is simple: Stop using phones while walking,
even if you aren’t at a crosswalk or intersection. Distracted walking incidents
can happen virtually anywhere, even in our own homes or familiar places.
An added hazard to texting while walking is sidewalks that
are covered in ice.
Both the NSC and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration have some great tips to help walk safer and smarter:
- Don’t use your phone or smart device while walking. If you aren’t paying attention, you may as well be walking blindfolded.
- Pay attention to vehicles: look left, then right, and then left again. Vehicles can travel large distances in a short timeframe. Never assume that you can beat a moving automobile.
- Be bright. Wear light colored clothing.
- Don’t wear headphones while walking. Like texting and walking, when we wear headphones we are sacrificing a crucial sense: our hearing. The ability to hear an approaching vehicle can be an important warning sign that traffic is coming toward you.
- Never rely on a driver to stop, make sure they can see you. A great way to do this is to make eye contact with them. If you aren’t sure they have spotted you, don’t cross until it is safe.
- If your vision is blocked by another car or object, move to a safer location before crossing.
- Use crosswalks.
- Walk in groups.
- Never allow children younger than 10 to cross the street alone.
The holidays can be a wonderful time of year for many, and
although our minds may be filled with presents, holiday treats, family and
candy canes; if we use these tips the holidays could be jollier for everyone.
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