Smart Pedestrian Safety Tips

by All Vovo on 06/26/12

Volvo has made a name for itself as a company by committing to innovation, but also to safety. Safety for drivers has been a constant goal throughout Volvo's history. Recently, Volvo unveiled the first system for pedestrian airbags. Clearly, they are looking out for the safety of drivers and pedestrians alike. They forge to create a safer way to enjoy the road and generally to enjoy life!

All Vovo shares in that commitment to safety. Seattle Volvo drivers should know that we have always been ahead of the game in educating people to know about their Volvo and Volvo repairs, but also to know how to be a responsible, safe, and prepared motorist overall. We are glad to continue doing so, and to use this blog to further demonstrate our concern for the safety of the Volvo community and Seattle drivers in general.

Most of us are drivers, but ALL of us are pedestrians from time to time. And, in light of Volvo's latest innovations for pedestrian safety precautions, we would like to go over some safety tips for being a smart pedestrian.

We found a great list that we wanted to share and give credit to. You can find the original list at Walkinginfo.org. On their site, they group us all together, pedestrians AND drivers as "road users"---I like it.

Here are their safety tips for pedestrians (with a few notes from us):

Be safe and be seen: make yourself visible to drivers

• Wear bright/light colored clothing and reflective materials.
• Carry a flashlight when walking at night.
• Cross in a well-lit area at night.
• Stand clear of buses, hedges, parked cars or other obstacles before crossing so drivers can see you.

(Making sure you can be seen is SO important, and yet, probably the most overlooked concept. Don't assume you can be seen and avoided easily--take every precaution you can!)

Be smart and alert: avoid dangerous behaviors

• Always walk on the sidewalk; if there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
• Stay sober; walking while impaired increases your chance of being struck.
• Don't assume vehicles will stop; make eye contact with drivers, don't just look at the vehicle. If a driver is on a cell phone, they may not be paying enough attention to drive safely.
• Don't rely solely on pedestrian signals; look before you cross the road.
• Be alert to engine noise or backup lights on cars when in parking lots and near on-street parking spaces.

(We have to echo the idea of "making eye-contact" with drivers. Doing so will let you know right away if the driver is truly attentive to you or not. Once again, DON'T ASSUME! Also, don't assume that you can stop being careful at crosswalks with crossing signals either, stay alert.)

Be careful at crossings: look before you step

• Cross streets at marked crosswalks or intersections, if possible.
• Obey traffic signals such as WALK/DON'T WALK signs.
• Look left, right, and left again before crossing a street.
• Watch for turning vehicles; make sure the driver sees you and will stop for you.
• Look across ALL lanes you must cross and visually clear each lane before proceeding. Just because one motorist stops, do not presume drivers in other lanes can see you and will stop for you.
• Don't wear headphones or talk on a cell phone while crossing.