Walking is awesome – it’s free, it’s great exercise, and you can do it to get almost anywhere.
You can visit your friends, travel to school, the movies, shopping, worship, museums, or sporting events.
What’s not awesome is when young people are killed or injured while walking.
Here are some important things to remember so you stay safe and healthy.
- Stop at the curb or the edge of the road if there is no curb.
- Stop and look left, then right, then left again for moving cars before you step into the street.
- If you see a car, wait until it goes by. Then look left, right, left again until no cars are coming.
- If a car is parked where you are crossing, look to make sure there is no driver and that the car is not running.
- Next, go to the edge of the car and look left-right-left to see if cars are coming.
- When no cars are coming, Walk — do not run — across the road. Keep looking left-right-left for cars while you are crossing.
Things to remember when walking:
- Always walk on the sidewalk facing traffic.
Walk on the sidewalk if there is one. If there is no sidewalk and you have to walk on the road, walk facing traffic. - Cross streets at corners or in crosswalks.
Cross where pedestrians are expected. Follow pedestrian signs and signals, always watching for traffic to ensure you
are seen. - Be safe. Be seen.
Brightly colored clothing makes it easier for drivers to see you during the daytime. At night,
use a flashlight or wear reflective material on your shoes, cap, and jacket or on your arms or legs that bounce the car’s
lights off you and back to the driver. This light cautions the driver that there’s something or someone moving and they
should slow down and be careful.