Part of defensive driving is remembering you share the road with others. This includes pedestrians, who are vulnerable to vehicles and other hazards drivers may not think about. In 2019, vehicular crashes resulted in 6,205 pedestrian fatalities. Many of these incidents could have been prevented.
Help the pedestrians you share the road with stay safe by keeping the following in mind:
- Use extra caution in difficult-to-see conditions, such as inclement weather or darkness, may result in difficulty recognizing pedestrians.
- Slow down and prepare to stop when entering a crosswalk.
- Use your mirrors and/or backup cameras, as well as extreme caution, when backing up. Electric vehicles, especially, make very little noise.
- Always yield to pedestrians. In most states, pedestrians have the right of way, even if they aren’t using a designated crosswalk.
- When stopping at a light or stop sign, make sure you come to a complete stop before the stop line. Otherwise, you may be in the way of pedestrians who are crossing.
- Pay attention to speed limits, especially in school zones and other areas with lots of foot traffic.
- Reduce your speed in parking lots.
- Follow directions given by crossing guards, flaggers, or others directing traffic in areas such as school zones or construction zones.
